


The Ice Prince's Rose Garden

by KykyElric



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Medieval, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Alternate Universe - servant/master, Drama, Fantasy, Fluff and Angst, Heavy Description, Insecurity, Later Clandestine Romance, Light Drinking, M/M, Master/Servant, Mystery, No Spoilers, Occasional Explicit Language, Political Struggle, Prince Viktor, Rebellion, Romance, Royalty, Serious, Servant Yuuri, Slow Burn, VictUuri, Yoi - Freeform, Yuuri's Mental Struggle, chef!Chris, future fluff, guard!Leo, master!Viktor, prince!Viktor, servant!Yuuri, viktuuri
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-20
Updated: 2017-03-20
Packaged: 2018-09-18 20:18:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 28,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9401354
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KykyElric/pseuds/KykyElric
Summary: Yuuri is ardently loyal. He was loyal to the king first; that is, until he was sent away to work at the Ice Prince's Palace, ruled over by the cold Prince Viktor.---A strange sight caught Yuuri’s eye. There was an individual walking amongst the roses below him, and he just couldn’t make out who it was. Yuuri squinted, his breath fogging up the glass in front of him as he pressed his forehead closer. His eyes widened. 'That’s… That’s the Ice Prince!'---Is Ice Prince Viktor really the cold-hearted being everyone claims him to be?Light political struggle and mystery all spun up with master/servant Viktuuri.





	1. The Ice Prince's Palace

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first serious Yuri!!! On Ice fanfic. I wanted to explore Viktor's darker side, and I felt that a fantasy/medieval AU could accomplish that quite well. (Besides, who doesn't like Master!Viktor and Servant!Yuuri?) 
> 
> not beta'd
> 
> Enjoy~

 

Yuuri sighed, the heavy box in his arms causing not only the ache in his arms, but the ache in his heart as well. It was full of his belongings: his favorite clothes, his limited collection of books, and, most importantly, his prized ink and paper, a present from the king.

Yuuri was being transferred away from the main castle, and that fact had yet to sink in completely because, in his heart, he felt his loved the palace, with its endless halls, expansive kitchens, and elaborate paintings. He was being sent to the prince’s residence, at the request of the king.

Of course, if it had been anybody else requesting, Yuuri would have declined. But it was the _king_ , and Yuuri couldn’t turn him down, due to his hard-set loyalty and personal affection.

A guard opened the door for him as he headed outside. The warm sun beat down on him for a moment before he was hit with a chilling blast of wind. It rattled the trees, the windows, his _soul_. Yuuri took one last, longing glance at the glorious palace before he was carted into a carriage, his box removed from his hands and his body pushed into the (slightly, only slightly) warmer enclosure.

The route was lined with trees, one side thick forest, the other a single line bordering the fields on the other side, and Yuuri felt slightly claustrophobic. The _click clack_ of the horses’ hooves rang ominously in the still, autumn air, and Yuuri wished there was something _anything_ that the sound could mix with. But the wind had stopped, and the sunlight had turned cold, hidden behind a passing cloud. Even the birdsong that usually filled the air had disappeared, leaving a silence that hang low in a clear fog.

Yuuri didn’t know how much time had passed before they approached a castle, composed mostly of stone and brick, that lay high amongst the surrounding fields, which were freshly frozen over after the gathering season. The dark aura surrounding the prince’s palace sent an unconscious shiver down Yuuri’s spine. He rubbed his arms without much thought, thinking the shaking was due to the cold, rather than the sinking feeling in his heart.

The carriage pulled around to the front of the palace, and Yuuri stepped out, craning his neck back to gaze up at the sharp spires and black-shingled roofs, so unlike the endless white marble of the king’s palace. He steeled himself, and, taking his box once again into his arms, walked through the castle doors.

Only a couple steps in, Yuuri’s foot slammed into something unexpected, and he fell, face-first, into the cold stone floor. His box flew out of his grasp, its contents spraying out in an embarrassing mess.

“Ack! Guh…” Yuuri coughed, trying to get some air back in his lungs as he crouched on his hands and knees. _What a way to start the day_.

When he looked up, he met the deep, intense gaze of an individual. His short, silver hair was combed over one eye and adorned with a chilling, pure white crown peppered with sapphires that brought out his icy, azure eyes. Yuuri froze, unable to move a single muscle upon realizing just what situation he was in.

_That’s the- the prince! The one they call the ice prince!_

And, just like that, he was gone, his cold gaze torn from Yuuri’s in an almost physical sensation. Long after the Ice Prince had left the room, Yuuri felt a stinging burn, as if he had touched a cold object only to have to rip his skin to remove it.

Just as he was about to attempt to stand up, a brown hand extended out to him. Yuuri glanced up and saw a friendly face – the first of the day – which gave him a measure of relief. The dark eyes that gazed at him filled him with warmth, and he felt his insides melt a little. Grasping the extended hand, he allowed the brown-skinned man to help him to his feet.

“You must be the new recruit. My name is Phichit, Chief Attendant.”

Yuuri shook the hand that still grasped his own and nodded. “Yes, I am Yuuri. I’m transferring from King’s Palace.”

Nodding back, Phichit began to help Yuuri gather his things, placing them inside the box that Yuuri had retrieved from a couple steps away. “What a way to start the day, ne? Meeting the Ice Prince right off the bat…”

Yuuri shook just remembering that icy gaze, and he struggled to form a response. “Y-You call him Ice Prince, too?”

“Everybody does.”

_Should I be surprised…?_

Phichit handed him his box, lifting the heavy object with graceful ease, and patted Yuuri on the shoulder. “You’ll get used to it.”

Yuuri nodded and followed Phichit as he led him through the halls to where he would be staying. The walls were blank stone, pure black where the bleak sunlight couldn’t reach. When Yuuri happened to brush against it, an instinctive urge to jump away pulsed through him as they were freezing cold.

“Here we are.”

Yuuri’s room was compact, but furnished with the necessities. There was a bed pushed against the back wall, a desk and small wardrobe against the left, and a door leading to (what Yuuri guessed was) the washroom. Phichit left him with a small smile, heading off to complete his duties for the day.

For the first time, Yuuri felt completely alone. There had always been someone nearby, someone to reach out to or talk to… but now, with the dark walls enclosing him, he felt _truly_ lonely for the first time.

It was like a hold in his heart, not a jagged one like something of a heartbreak, but a deep, endless well. As his thoughts, longing for the white King’s palace, overtook him, the hole grew and grew until Yuuri was _gasping_.

His knees broke, and he collapsed onto the ground, his head falling into his hands. His fingers naturally grasped at his roots, pulling harshly, trying to ward away the empty feeling with physical pain. But, of course, his poor attempts at self-harm failed. Because no one could breach Yuuri’s mental abilities, not even himself.

 Eventually Yuuri managed to drag himself up off the floor and settle on the bed, hands on his knees, as he struggled through his own mind.

_What am I doing here?_

_Did the King find me unsatisfactory?_

_Did I do something wrong??_

_Or was it… me?_

_Something’s wrong with me…?_

A sharp clanging was what broke him out of the dark world of his thoughts.

_Clang! Clang!_

_Bells?_ Yuuri guessed, and he rushed to open the drapes across his window. Coughing from the accumulated dust that had fallen from his rushed motion, Yuuri’s breath caught in utter _surprise_.

His room overlooked the back of the castle. There was an expansive rose garden fenced in by more stone, but if one looked far enough, one could see the edge of a cliff. Past that, was an endless sea of fluffy, white clouds. It was _magical_.

His palm lay gently against the glass, his brown eyes filled with a yearning as he imagined himself walking the rose garden, tending to the precious flowers, before ending his day with his legs swinging off of the cliff as he gazed at the endless clouds…

A strange sight caught Yuuri’s eye. There was an individual walking amongst the roses below him, and he just couldn’t make out who it was. Yuuri squinted, his breath fogging up the glass in front of him as he pressed his forehead closer. His eyes widened. _That’s… That’s the Ice Prince!_

And it was. Ice Prince Viktor was strolling through the red and white roses, his hand brushing over the beautiful flowers as he wandered with seemingly no purpose. Yuuri gazed at him, mesmerized. For some reason, there was no _angry_ aura from the silver-haired prince. The whole scene was very soft, like something out of a romance. The Ice Prince sat down on a bench and took out a book, seeming to be satisfied with his position.

Yuuri’s eyebrows scrunched together as he raked his thoughts in confusion. Yuuri was good at reading people. _How could someone’s aura change so completely?_ Then a sharp knock cracked his concentration, and he turned his gaze to his door.

“Yuuri! Let me show you the castle.”

It was Phichit. Yuuri sighed, partly in relief that he would be with another person (any person), and partly in frustration that he wouldn’t get to see—

Wait. _Where’s the Ice Prince…?_

He was gone. No matter where Yuuri looked, the distinct silver hair and spiked crown were nowhere to be seen. _But he couldn’t have just… disappeared._ Maybe there was something more about the Ice Prince than appearances granted. Humming in confusion, Yuuri grasped his cloak in hand, clipped it on, and opened the door, revealing a grinning Phichit.

“Hello, Yuuri.”

“Chief Attendant,” Yuuri lowered his head respectfully. “Shall we?” 


	2. The Ice Prince's Painting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Development development development! This story is under "slow burn," yes?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I write when I have inspiration. I've got it now. Heehee.  
> Find me on tumblr: @kykyelric
> 
> Enjoy this new chapter~

“You should just call me Phichit,” the Head of Management remarked, scratching the back of his neck. “It’s awkward and a mouthful otherwise.”

“Okay,” Yuuri said, but still nodding respectfully. He was used to the strict rules of the King’s Palace. It was habit now.

Phichit showed him the kitchen, where he might fetch guests’ orders, or, as Phichit teasingly whispered _‘sometimes the Ice Prince personally asks for something…’_

That sent a shiver down Yuuri’s spine as he imagined the unforgiving eyes of the Ice Prince bearing down on him.

“Sometimes he asks for flan. It’s his favorite.”

“…Excuse me?”

Phichit giggled at Yuuri’s expression. “Flan, I said. It appears his highness has a sweet tooth.”

Yuuri tipped his head in thought. _Flan…_ He almost ran into the side of the door as he pondered, provoking another giggle from Phichit.

“Someone’s in love.”

Yuuri gasped, torn out of his thoughts. “With all due respect, Phichit, sir! I just got here. Don’t go spreading false rumors about me.”

“I was just joking,” Phichit frowned, the light mood ruined. “Are you always this serious?”

Yuuri didn’t respond. His thoughts were already back to the rose garden that he had seen previous when the afternoon bells had rung. He wanted to go there himself, to see if it was actually as magical as it had seemed… To walk the rose garden and trace the steps of the Ice Prince.

Phichit guided Yuuri through several other chores before telling him he had the rest of the day off. “I’ll give you your assignment tomorrow morning, so come to the meeting room at 6am, sharp. Don’t be late!”

Yuuri nodded, and Phichit waved as he ran off to his next duty, leaving Yuuri alone in the middle of the hall. Yuuri glanced out one of the tall windows, unconsciously hoping for a glance of the rose garden, but realizing, too late, that these windows were facing south, not north like his window was.

Shaking himself out of his stupor, Yuuri padded lightly down the hall, his steps muffled by the thick, burgundy carpeting, determined to find an exit that led north. Yet, all the doors he discovered led to rooms or were locked. Yuuri wasn’t adventurous enough to try and unlock them, or maybe it was the discipline ingrained in him from King’s Palace.

“Where is our new recruit off to?”

Yuuri stopped at the voice that addressed him. A man, taller than both him and Phichit, was leaning sexily against the doorframe to Yuuri’s right. He had a bowl of blonde hair, with slight facial hair, and a chef’s hat. “I-I-” Yuuri tried to think up some reasonable excuse.

“No matter,” the man interrupted, sensing Yuuri’s nervousness. “I’m Chris, the Assistant Head Chef here.”  
  
“Nice to meet you,” Yuuri murmured, shaking Chris’ outstretched hand. It was warm, and his shoulders were open, friendly.

Chris smiled a toothy grin and gestured down the hall. “Walk with me?”

Nodding, Yuuri remained by Chris’ side as he began striding down the hall.

“The Ice Prince… You’ve met him?” Chris prompted, glancing at Yuuri.

“Yes, I ran into him,” Yuuri replied, sourly. _Almost literally_.

“Ah, so I guess you’ve witnessed his reputation, then?”

“You mean, that he’s… he’s…”

“He’s cold. Blunt. Uncaring.”

Yuuri flinched. Chris was one to talk. “I guess,” he said. But it only prompted the memory of the prince in the rose gardens. A rush of curiosity filled Yuuri, and suddenly Chris’ presence was more _hindering_ than comforting. _I need to see if the Ice Prince was really there or not. People don’t just disappear._

“No one understands why he is like that,” Chris went on. “But he’s not necessarily mean to us all. We get paid and fed. We’re never excessively punished.”

Yuuri nodded, desperate to get away from the current situation. His eyes flitted around the hall, desperately searching for a source of distraction. His gaze landed on a painting on the wall. It was a lone painting, standing out against the drab stone like a pearl on the dark, ocean floor. Yet, it didn’t depict epic battles like King’s Palace’s paintings; it was instead of a single flower, a rose Yuuri thinks, that had shed its pedals. They lay around its base, painting the ground a _ghostly red_. The painting was in shadow, the light from the windows not quite reaching it, dulling the colors.

Yuuri brushed his hand over the frame, flicking away the dust that had gathered on his fingertips on his pants. He could almost imagine the vibrancy of the reds and greens, the streaks of yellow. _Almost._ “Chris,” he began. “This is the only painting in the hall… Is it special?”

Chris was originally delighted at Yuuri finally responding to him, but his expression quickly darkened upon hearing Yuuri’s request.

“That’s a painting the Ice Prince had commissioned. It was… a long time ago.”

Yuuri had originally planned to make his escape while Chris went off on another information rampage, but now he was intrigued. “How long ago?”

“Many years ago. Longer than I’ve been here,” Chris admitted, staring up at the painting. “When I first arrived, the Head Chef had a close relationship with the prince, and he told me about it. But that head chef is long gone.”

“Where did he go?”

“He moved to the King’s Palace.”

Yuuri gasped. “Chef Yakov?!”

Chris turned to him. “You know Chef Yakov?”

Yuuri smiled. “Yes. He’s a brilliant cook.”  
  
“Isn’t he? The flavors just melt in your mouth…”

Yuuri laughed as memories of chocolate caramel cake and glazed persimmons that he wouldn’t have guessed he shared with anyone poured out of Chris’ mouth.

Then a sharp ringing interrupted Chris’ stream of description.

_Clang! Clang! Clang!_

“The afternoon bells,” Yuuri whispered.

Chris grew flustered. “You mean the evening ones? It’s that time already? Ahh, I’ll tell you the rest of the story later, Yuuri!”

And he was gone.

Yuuri sighed, leaning against the wall, shivering as the cold seeped through his cloak. No, he really had meant the afternoon bells. Tomorrow, he would see if the prince was in the garden when the afternoon bells rang, as he had been today. He gazed up at the painting above him. _A rose, huh?_ Yuuri had a past with roses, as well, but the memories were so faint that he had a hard time recalling them now.

Had he given a rose to someone before? Or had he received one? Yuuri couldn’t quite remember. It had been before he was accepted to work at the King’s Palace, that was for sure.

Even though he had been sitting for only a couple minutes, the freezing wall had set a permanent shiver into his body. Yuuri stood up again, wrapped his arms around himself, and headed back to his room. Maybe he would start his search for a way to the rose garden tomorrow. Being alone didn’t bother him so much, he realized. _It’s not so bad._ Perhaps this job could be rewarding yet. But the constant shadows still frightened him, somewhat, so he hurried his footsteps.

Yuuri’s head was down, so he when he banged against something stiff, he cringed with the pain of recoil in his neck as it was flung back. “Ugh!”

A pair of icy blue eyes glared down him.

_The- the Ice Prince!_

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prince Viktor's eyes make ME shiver. 
> 
> Your comments make me want to write more. <3


	3. A Dinner Discussion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When you're disliked, it's easy to make enemies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Third chapter... a longer one this time. I've got some good Prince Viktor and Yuuri interaction planned for the future, but for now, enjoy this build up of the situation. 
> 
> tumblr: @kykyelric
> 
> Enjoy~

“Y-Your highness!” Yuuri gasped, the prince’s gaze freezing him to his soul. Then he bowed low, his dark bangs hanging over his eyes, slightly obscuring his view of the Ice Prince. He clenched his jaw and held his ground. _Chris says he doesn’t punish… excessively. I have nothing to worry about._

“Hah.” _Click. Click. Click……_

Yuuri raised his head as he heard the footsteps echo away from him. He caught a glimpse of the back of the prince just before he turned a corner and out of sight.

_His hair was disheveled. Does that mean he came from outside?_

The curiosity from earlier sparked inside him again, and Yuuri glanced around. But the prince had seemingly come from nowhere, probably due to Yuuri’s intense concentration before. Yuuri inwardly cursed himself. How could he be so stupidly unobservant?!

Yuuri sighed and let his feet carry him back to his room, his neck this time hanging back as he gazed at the dull, grey ceiling. The rose… Flan… Even the little sounds the prince had made just then didn’t add up to the perception others had of him. He didn’t seem like a cold person at all. Maybe his gaze was harsh, (and that did scare Yuuri quite a bit) but appearances weren’t everything, right?

But appearances are _a lot._ Even if they aren’t everything.

Yuuri had settled into his room when he remembered something he had forgotten to unpack. Taking the few steps necessary to reach the box of his belongings, he fished around inside until he revealed it. _My ink and paper._

The paper had been crinkled after the incident earlier that day, and Yuuri smoothed it out as best as he could, his fingers lovingly caressing the ripped edges. Then he took a pen from within the desk, dipped in one of his bottles of ink, and scratched out a message on the paper.

* * *

 

**Dear Minami,**

> **I hope you are doing well. I have arrived at the Prince’s Palace safely, so please do not worry about me.**
> 
> **Though it is quite a drastic change from the King’s Palace, I have met several of the staff who seem friendly. I’m sure I will adjust in time.**
> 
> **Please take care of yourself while I am not there to watch over your every movement. I know how distracted you can get.**

**Sincerely,**

**Yuuri Katsuki**

* * *

 

Setting down his pen, Yuuri made sure to dry the tip before he put it back inside the desk. Then he blew on the wrinkled paper, folded it, and placed it in an envelope that he had discovered within the desk. “He’ll be happy to hear from me,” Yuuri whispered, reminiscing about the young servant who had been assigned to him at the King’s Palace. “I hope he’s doing okay.”

A knock that Yuuri could only describe as _joyful_ came from his door, and he approached it from his desk to reveal a grinning Chris.

“Yuuri! I’m finally done with dinner prep. Let’s go eat!”

 Yuuri smiled slightly. “Sure. Wait just a second.”

Leaving the door ajar, Yuuri went back to the desk and grabbed the envelope, placing it in his pocket before returning to an impatient Chris. “Alright. We can go.”

“Yes! The food only gets colder the longer we wait.”

Yuuri let Chris lead him to the dining hall, which was boisterous with activity. “You… don’t eat with the officials?” Yuuri asked, glancing about in confusion.

  
“No. Why would we?” Chris responded, with an equally as confused expression. He gestured to the sight of the other servants passionately sharing stories and shoving food onto their friends’ plates. “This is the only time we can really relax. We wouldn’t even have this time if we had to eat with the officials.”

_Makes sense. The Ice Prince would really ruin the mood._

The dining hall was the only room larger than the King’s Palace’s counterpart. There was a space along the far side that was reserved for officials, and was currently empty. The rest of the space was lined with table after table of servants, cooks, and other staff members. The food looked good, Yuuri thought, though the walls and ceiling were as sparsely decorated as the rest of the castle.

Chris dragged him down the stairs and to an empty spot on one of the tables. A large turkey sat in front of them, bottles of some sort of drink littering the space around it. Chris piled a plate with food and handed it to Yuuri, who accepted it awkwardly. He looked up at Chris helplessly. _Some help please?_ Instead, Chris disappeared into the crowd, something catching his eye.

Before he could feel overwhelmed, there was a pull on his right sleeve, and Yuuri directed his attention that way. “You’re the newbie? Hehe.”

A short man with a boyish face and smooth brown hair was hanging off his arm. Yuuri tried tugging it away, to no avail. Pursing his lips, he submitted, though unwillingly, and sat down in the spot next to him. “Yes, I’m Yuuri.”  
  
“Yuuri, Yuuri! Guang Hong, I’m Guang Hong. Greetings~~”

A chuckle came from across the table before Yuuri could form a reply. “G’s pretty drunk. Don’t take anything he says seriously.”

The man who had spoken was an amicable face. His shoulder-length, wavy, brown hair was clipped out of his face, and he held a half-full glass in one hand, though the other stayed underneath the table. Yuuri recognized the position.

“Guard?”

“Yup. Name’s Leo. Let’s get along."

“Yes, let’s.”

“Sorry about G, here. He’s a lightweight.”

Yuuri laughed. “That’s obvious.”

Laughing with him, Leo took a deep gulp from his cup. “They do make a good persimmon wine though.”

The familiar fruit caught Yuuri’s attention. “Persimmon wine?”

“Yup. Here, have some.” Leo poured the golden pink drink into Yuuri’s empty cup.

A single sip of the liquid filled Yuuri’s mouth with a light, sparkling taste. It was sweet, but not sugary like most of the wine he had had at the King’s Palace. When he swallowed, the alcohol burned pleasantly down his throat and settled gently in his stomach. He took another sip, and felt his cheeks warm.

“Good, huh?”

Yuuri nodded, motioning for more, to which Leo smiled and refilled his cup.

By this time Guang Hong had passed out on the table, completely defenseless. Out of the corner of his eye, Yuuri noticed that Leo’s arm that wasn’t holding his drink was tense. It was kind of cute. _He’s so protective._ Or maybe that was the alcohol talking.

A lump collapsed on the seat to Yuuri’s left, making Yuuri jump. One glance revealed it to be Chris. “Chris! What’s wrong?” Yuuri asked, his hands wavering over his new friend’s body, which was slumped over against him.

Leo pursed his lips. “He’s drugged.”

“What?” Yuuri exclaimed, glaring at Leo. “He’s not just drunk?"

“Look at his face.”

Yuuri took Chris’ chin gently in his hand and turned it to face him. His eyes were lolling, his mouth drooling. He didn’t look _completely_ like a drunkard. That was concerning.

“I better take him somewhere to recover,” Yuuri whispered, his eyebrows scrunching in concern.   
  
Leo stood up, a frown now set on his face. “I’ll help you.”

_He heard me…?_ Yuuri was shocked. _No. He read my lips._

Leo walked around the end of the table, lifted Guang Hong over one shoulder, and turned to Yuuri. “Give me one of his arms.”

Yuuri struggled to lift Chris, but eventually shifted him so that half was leaning on Leo, half on him. Then the four of them trekked across the dining room, up the stairs, and out the doors.

As the doors shut behind them, a rumble shook the building, causing Yuuri and Leo to stumble. Chris fell to the floor between them, but Leo managed to keep his grip on Guang Hong. Yuuri spun around, and ran forward towards the dining room. Something had happened, something _big_.

Yuuri had barely opened the door when, he felt an iron grip fasten around his wrist, restraining him. “Yuuri. Don’t.” A pair of brown eyes gazed into his, and Yuuri froze. “Turn around.”

“Walk.”

Yuuri mechanically picked up Chris with Leo and mechanically took a step forward, following Leo’s calming voice. But inside, he was shaking, the shock setting in.

_That was an_ explosion. _There were men with swords in there. And the silver hair… Was that Pri-_

“…ri. Yuuri.”

Yuuri snapped back to reality, gasping. They were standing in front of an unfamiliar room.

“Yuuri, reach inside my back pocket. There’s a key in there.”

Reaching into the pocket with his free hand, Yuuri felt around until he grasped the shape of a key. He pulled it out and inserted it into the doorknob that Leo nodded to, then pulled the door open.

The four of them stumbled inside, dropping Chris and Guang Hong onto the bed that lay on the right side of the room. Leo sighed before closing the door behind them, pushing a motionless Yuuri forward. Then he put his hands on Yuuri’s shoulders and looked directly into his eyes. “Are you alright?”

“I… I’m fine,” Yuuri stumbled. His mind was fuzzy, and he felt like jelly, but nothing hurt, not physically.

“Good. Go over and sit there,” Leo pointed to the chair by the single window on the far wall. Yuuri followed his directions, sinking gratefully into the soft plush.

While Leo cared for the unconscious Chris and Guang Hong, Yuuri gazed out at the dark night sky, speckled with stars that glittered coldly in the night air. Yuuri thought an echo of a crash reached his ears, but it could’ve been anything, really. A rock thrown at the wall, a bird pecking at a window.

At least that’s what he tried to tell himself.

After an immeasurable amount of time, Leo came and sat on the windowsill by Yuuri. “I want you to forget what you saw,” he whispered.

Yuuri dragged his gaze from the window to the guard. He saw that Leo’s hand was on his side, obscuring some sort of weapon. A knife, perhaps. “Why is that?”

“You weren’t meant to see that. You just arrived here. You’re fresh.”

“I’m… fresh?”

“Yeah, not turned. Most people turn with time. You just haven’t got enough of it.”

Yuuri was thoroughly confused. What did his time here have to do with anything? “O…kay?” But it was more of an acceptance rather than a concession.

Leo patted his shoulder anyway. “Good. You can stay here tonight, if you’d like. I need to go out, so can you watch those two?” he gestured to the figures on the bed, barely illuminated by the moonlight.

“Sure,” Yuuri said, still not quite understanding.

Leo nodded and left, softly shutting the door behind him.

Frowning, Yuuri sat down slowly on the bed, gazing down at Chris and Guang Hong. Chris had stopped drooling, and his expression was normal. That was good.

_Leo made it sound like he was a part of whatever happened… Like a lot of people are involved. I wonder if Chris and Guang Hong are…_

Yuuri ran a hand through his dark locks, combing out a particular knot when he found one. _But then again, Leo seemed to be pretty protective. He wouldn’t let Guang Hong get drunk, would he?_

Yuuri got up from the bed and began pacing the room. The view from the window wasn’t very exciting; it only showed the wall rising up from the western side of the palace. Guards paced the top, bows in hand.

But the galaxy extended out above the wall, the stars shaping in ways Yuuri did not understand, but _felt_. The familiar shapes were comforting, a similarity to his old life in the King’s Palace.

Yuuri realized he had stopped pacing by the window and slapped his cheeks to try and force some sense back into himself. There was always chaos at the castles. Right? This wasn’t serious.

Then there was a shift in the mood of the wall. The guards began to move frantically across their posts, gaining Yuuri’s attention. Then there was a flare, just outside of the view of the window, but close enough for Yuuri to see the brightening of the area.

“Ah! What’s going on…?”

Then a body fell from the wall.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leo is one of my favorite characters in YOI. He's so admirable, and his love of music is very relatable. I hope you enjoy how he turns out in this AU. 
> 
> Thank you for reading this far. <3 ^^


	4. The Prince and His Rose Garden pt. 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri gathers up his courage and is rewarded with a sunrise. 
> 
> (You can take this literally or metaphorically.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had fun with this. Especially the last few paragraphs. Heehee. I hope you have fun reading it.
> 
> Check me out on tumblr: @kykyelric
> 
> Enjoy~

Yuuri gasped, his eyes growing wide. That was a _person!_ That person was now-

Bile rose up in his throat, and Yuuri rushed to the bathroom. He crouched over the toilet, sucking in controlled breaths. _I’m okay. I’m okay._

 _But_ they’re _not okay-_

_Don’t think about that!_

After a moment, Yuuri wiped his brow with a towel and walked back to the main room of Leo’s quarters. Chris and Guang Hong still lay unconscious on Leo’s bed, though it had been several hours. Yuuri chewed his lip as he pondered his options.

He could stay here, as Leo ordered, safely confined to the room with his friends.

Or he could go out, and find out what was going on. He could _save-_

No. That person was dead. No one could survive that fall.

He _almost_ chose the former.

Tugging his cloak tighter around his shoulders, Yuuri straightened his back, and, mustering as much courage as his delicate heart could take, opened the door a crack.

When nothing exploded in his face, Yuuri took a deep breath before exiting the room. It had opened into an empty courtyard lined with similar doors. He looked both ways, then dashed across the courtyard towards the stairs on the far side. The stairs led up to a wall like the one he had seen from Leo’s window, and Yuuri crouched behind every corner, ensuring it was safe before dashing several meters further.

He dared to peek over the edge of the wall when he got there, and was met with a rush of air that threatened to push him over. After ducking back into the safety of the wall, Yuuri closed his eyes and crouched down with his back to the cold stone.   _If Leo was here... No!_ _Don’t give up now._

_In…_

_Out…_

_In…_

_Out…_

Several breaths later, he tried again, this time grasping the edge of the wall with (sort of) confident hands. He didn’t tip.

The air rushing through his hair was exhilarating, Yuuri thought, and it almost brought a smile to his face. If it weren’t for the sight below him.

The ground outside the castle writhed with people. They all seemed like castle servants, their pressed uniforms standing out against the bare ground. Yuuri’s eyes widened in horror. What were they doing there? Shouting and throwing… something. Yuuri couldn’t tell.

Was this… a riot? A rebellion? _What?_

Yuuri’s chest contracted. _You’re panicking. Calm down._

His breathing quickened. Came in gasps. Hurtled through his lungs, tore through them, _raked them._

 _This can’t be happening. On my first day. This_ never _happened at the King’s Palace._

Yuuri’s hands balled into fists, which he pressed to his chest in an effort to release some of the pressure. It didn’t help. Shakily, he came to his feet and stumbled to the other side of the wall, entering the castle and launching himself into a full-on sprint through the halls.

Running felt nice. It relieved some of the pressure.

“Hah… Hah…” His breaths came sharp and quick now.

There was nobody there. The halls were empty… silent save for his carpet-muffled footsteps and harsh breathing. His lungs hurt. But he didn’t stop.

The windows had been on the left-hand side for some time, but for some reason they were now on the right. Yuuri didn’t pay them much notice, too distracted by the pain in his chest that lessened with every second now, until a bright light threatened to blind him.

He came to a sudden halt, one hand raised to cover his eyes. He gazed at the source… it was the sunrise.

Brilliant orange, yellow, and pink streaks filled the sky, emanating from the point of light that had just now breached the horizon. The land filled with a lustrous glow, lifelike, warm, and…

It didn’t really fit the Prince’s Castle. Not at all.

But Yuuri still found some measure of comfort in it. The sun was rising. The world would go on. Besides, the way it illuminated the clouds that lay past the cliff… _The cliff…_

_The rose garden!_

Yuuri scrambled over to the window and peered out, but he couldn’t spot the garden. There was only the cliff, the clouds, and the fields. Was his room the only place in the castle that could?

But the cliff was there, the sun rising just to the right of it, and Yuuri knew exactly what direction he needed to head.

_Stairs… Stairs… Stairs!_

_A door… A door…_

Why didn’t _anything_ lead north? It was all windows! No doors!

_Creak…_

Yuuri barely caught the sound, but it was definitely there. And it had come from his right side. The direction he needed to go.

He backtracked, listening with all his might, feeling along the freezing stone and windowpanes for some sort of clue. He hated the shadows even more now, as they barred the full use of his senses.

The third window down, he felt the surface below his trailing hand give. Yuuri stopped and pressed harder, _harder_ against the glass, and it swung forward. Carefully, Yuuri leaned out and saw a ladder leading down into a thick grove of trees.

Panic threatened to overtake him again, but Yuuri pushed it away. _You’ve been through much worse tonight. You can climb down a ladder._

Slowly, Yuuri swung one leg over the edge of the window, and then the other. The windowsill creaked beneath him, and he froze.

 _Idiot. Nobody is here to hear you._ _You’re being paranoid for nothing._

_But what if you’re caught? You get your job taken away? You die from hunger? Lack of shelter? Get attacked by a bea-_

Yuuri shook his head. No more ridiculous thoughts. Then he took a deep breath and started down the ladder, hand over hand. It was slow going, and Yuuri often had to pause and force himself to breath, but he made it to the bottom safely.

The grove was beautiful. The moss and ferns that decorated the ground were backlit with light from the sunrise that filtered through the trees. There was a small, but well-worn path leading through the grove, but Yuuri could not see where it led, as it wound back and forth through the brush. He took a tentative step forward, listening for anything out of the ordinary.

But there was only the whisper of wind through the trees, the shuffling of the ferns.

Deeming the route safe enough, Yuuri took to the path, making his way through the trees, ducking under hanging vines, and being careful to avoid stepping on the mushrooms that happened to grow across the path. As the hour grew, birds began to sing in the branches above, and Yuuri felt peaceful, more so than he had in the past day.

It seemed like an eternity, but Yuuri finally spotted a gap in the trees ahead. He finished the final few meters in a sprint, and he burst out into a small clearing lined with large, blooming rose bushes.

_The rose garden!_

Yuuri gazed around him in wonder, spinning around like a little kid. He couldn’t take it all in quick enough. The vibrant reds, the soft whites, the light buzzing of insects… and the gorgeous sunset that was peaking just above the bushes, highlighting them in a timeless, golden hue.

That’s where he paused, staring out at the sunset.

There was a crunch behind him, and reality rushed back to him. Yuuri whirled around, his arms drawn to his chest, ready to shout or wave or do what was necessary to defend himself.

But a pair of wide, oddly soft azure eyes gazed back at him, a heart-shaped mouth opened in surprise, face and silver hair glowing in the sunrise behind Yuuri.

Prince Viktor stood there, and in that moment, Yuuri thought he was the definition of beauty.

“What… are you doing in my rose garden?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mm... Mm mm mmmmmmm mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...
> 
> I wrote this chapter super fast. Does it read fast? 
> 
> Thank you for reading. :)


	5. The Prince and His Rose Garden pt. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What can Yuuri do when he's confronted with brilliance?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoy this update! I enjoyed writing it. :)
> 
> My tumblr is @kykyelric

 

The prince’s silver hair _shone_ in the soft pastel rays of the sunrise. The sun caught his crown, reflecting off the sapphires and white gold, and it _dazzled_ Yuuri. Yuuri sucked in a breath, slowly, oh so slowly, as he relished the sight in front of him.

Because, for the first time since he arrived, Yuuri didn’t find Prince Viktor intimidating. Prince Viktor’s mouth wasn’t pursed into the usual hard line; it was open in genuine shock. And his _eyes…_

Oh, his eyes were _mesmerizing_ …

Maybe it was the reflection of the sunrise, but they were _alive_. Yuuri saw the tides in them, rising and falling… the gentle spring rain… the soft ice in flavored drinks on a hot summer’s day… his reflection as if he were gazing into a clear pool after a storm…

Yes, he saw his own brown eyes within Prince Viktor’s.

Then he blinked, and the Ice Prince’s mouth was back to the pressed line, his eyes the hard ice that Yuuri had come to expect. “Well, did you come here to kill me?”

A wave of realization rocked through Yuuri. It started as a shiver in his shoulders that worked its way down his spine until it threatened to couple his knees.

“Y-Your h-h-highness?”

“Ugh,” the Ice Prince gritted his teeth and spit his words like poison. “Don’t mock me. I’m not really royalty to you.”

The prince’s words were like ice water dumped on Yuuri’s mind. The effect was so immediate that he was groveling on the grass in front of the Ice Prince without a second thought. His face pressed into the sharp stalks, eyes closed, gasping as he awaited his fate. He couldn’t even get a word out. _He thinks I’m an assassin. He thinks I’m here to_ kill _him! I don’t… I don’t deserve to live!_

After a moment of pure silence that was filled only with the rustling of the rose bushes and Yuuri’s frantic heartbeat, the Ice Prince spoke. “You aren’t… here to kill me?”

Yuuri slowly raised his head. “No, most definitely not, your highness.”

“Then, why are you here?” His eyes were hard, suspicious, questioning. Yuuri sucked in a breath and gathered all the courage he could muster.

“I saw the rose garden from my window and was curious, your highness.” Yuuri pressed his forehead back into the grass.

Somewhat satisfied, Prince Viktor turned away, his frown deepening as he paced a few steps away from Yuuri. “… that still doesn’t explain how you got here…”

“Excuse me?”

“It’s nothing,” the Ice Prince retorted. A deep crease had formed between his brows. “I assume if you are not here to kill me, you are not a part of the... the  _Society?_ ”

His voice dripped with sarcasm, and Yuuri flinched, like Prince Viktor had thrown a physical punch towards his face. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, your highness.”

A look of disgust now adorned the Ice Prince’s features, and the light that illuminated them now turned wicked, malicious, _hateful_ …

“Heh. Another trick to get close to me. I admit, I am impressed that you got this far. My rose garden is difficult to find, let alone enter. Now, don't be shy. Voice your true intentions.”

Yuuri was shaking with fear. His thighs trembled against the ground, and his fingers nervously grasped the grass by his face. Prince Viktor could kill him easily in this position. What he said next could keep him alive… or lead to an unpleasant and extremely painful death.

“P-Prince Viktor,” Yuuri began, and he dared to look up. “I don’t believe that you are like what the others say.” Yuuri shifted his gaze away and took a deep breath before continuing. “You may appear… um… _harsh_ sometimes, but that’s not- that’s not what you’re really like, right?”

“Who are you to judge who I really am?!” the Ice Prince exploded, his boot coming down right by Yuuri’s nose. Yuuri went cross-eyed trying to focus on it.

“I-I-I’m so sorry, your highness! I was presumptuous! Please forgive me!” Yuuri’s breaths came in short gasps, and his stomach tightened. _I’m going to die… I’m going to die…_

But the air was still. There was no swoosh of a sword upon his neck. No pain as it broke through his skin... his blood... his bones-

“… Go on.”

_What?_

“I _said_ , continue.”

“Y-Yes, your highness!” Yuuri stammered, relief flooding him. He took the opportunity and rushed his words. “You may seem cold and unfriendly, but I think you just feel that there’s nobody who will talk to you. You try, but your efforts don’t get across. If anything,” Yuuri paused, “it provokes frustration… and apparently that boiled over tonight.”

Yuuri looked up hesitantly, but was met with an empty clearing. Prince Viktor was nowhere to be seen. He slowly got to his feet and glanced around, confused. _Was it something I said?_

Then he spotted a broken branch hanging off of one of the rose bushes. With everything else in pristine condition, the branch stood out like a missing brick of a wall, and Yuuri approached it. Peering over the bush, Yuuri could make out a pathway leading deeper into the rose garden. The grass was pressed down in some areas, forming a trail of footsteps.

Yuuri gingerly made his way around the bush, removing the branch and holding it in his hand carefully, as to not stab himself with any of the thorns. A single red rose adorned the end of it, the perfect petals decorated with a light mist of morning dew.

The path was easy to follow, and Yuuri tracked the footsteps until he heard a faint choking ahead. From his memory, Yuuri traced his path according to the view of the rose garden from his room. _I took a right turn… I should be around the area where Prince Viktor-_

_Oh._

Yuuri took a hesitant step forward, and a light breeze ruffled through his hair. It brought more of the strangled sounds, and they fell on Yuuri’s ears like a mysterious symphony, one that sparked a strange feeling in his heart.

A _yearning_.

“Prince Viktor…?”

“S-Stop!” the crowned individual sputtered. “Don’t come any closer!”

Yuuri froze. “Yes, your highness. But, may I… stay here?”

There was no response, so Yuuri took it as a ‘yes’ and took a seat on the grass where a rose bush blocked his sight of the prince. Maybe it would give him some peace of mind.

The struggled chokes were lessening now, leaving only the occasional faint sob that one could mistake for a rush in the wind without context. Yuuri wasn’t sure what his presence meant to the prince… Did he find comfort in it? Did it frighten him? Or maybe he was just awkward?

But Yuuri didn’t want to leave, even if the prince wanted him to. He wanted to find out more about the warmth he sensed below Prince Viktor’s persona of the ‘Ice Prince.’

 Because even if appearances meant a lot, they weren’t _everything._

A cloud passed over the sun, which was climbing ever higher in the sky, provoking a shiver down Yuuri’s spine and goosebumps over his arms. The breeze turned harsher, and Yuuri wrapped his arms around himself, attempting to hug the cold out.

“You- *sob* - Did you mean what you said?” came a soft voice behind him. Yuuri inhaled, because that voice was beautiful. It rang like a harp in his ears, soft and gentle… and yet it still felt restrained, so much so that the crack in the prince’s sentence seemed to slice the tension, cutting through the air in a single stroke. It lay troubled on Yuuri’s heart, a layer Yuuri desperately wanted to remove, so that he may hear the true voice the prince had, one that was surely as beautiful as his open face that had been illuminated by the sunrise.

That face seemed so long ago, now. _Did I really see such a thing? Was it-_

“Yes, your highness,” Yuuri spoke, pulling himself together so his voice did not waver. For some reason, he felt that any sign of hesitation would break the moment.

_Was it only a dream?_

Then a ray of sunlight broke through the clouds, shining directly through the bushes. Yuuri felt it before seeing it, felt the gentle warmth on the back of his head. He naturally turned around, standing up as he did, and the moment seemed to slow to a halt.

Prince Viktor had stood from his seat on the bench and was now facing Yuuri, his back to the ray of sunlight. It shone around his body, and Yuuri could only gasp in utter reverence at the holy sight that was Prince Viktor.

His body was ringed in a golden light, his crown a source of all admiration. If Yuuri had been shocked at how Prince Viktor looked with the light shining on him, that did not even compare to what he felt now, seeing the light shining behind him. It caught on his silver hair just the right way so that each strand was highlighted in its own unique angle… so much so that he did not even seem _real_ anymore. But the depths were off, the shadows existent in places they shouldn’t be. It gave him an ethereal halo, both angel and devil.

Prince Viktor was a god in Yuuri’s gaze, and Yuuri wanted nothing more than to show him all the worship he deserved. He graciously fell to his knees, but kept his eyes raised, filled with praise, at Prince Viktor’s heavenly form. “P-Prince Viktor,” Yuuri said, and this time he let his affection waver his words, flow over them and fill them with an utter love for the being in front of him. What love he felt, Yuuri didn’t know, but he could not describe the feeling otherwise. “I don’t care what the others say. Let me serve you, _please_.”

Prince Viktor was intimidating, dark and light, hard and soft, justice and mercy all at once and more. But it was a different intimidation than before. It was powerful, controlling, _demanding_. Yuuri could do nothing more than await his fate.

He waited. And Prince Viktor’s words were honey and thorns on his skin.  

“Do not come back to this garden without me.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo! Finally getting somewhere, aren't we?


	6. Yuuri's Decision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri gains some well-deserved insight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is sort of a transition chapter, but it contains some good insight into Yuuri's thoughts. So please enjoy the update!
> 
> Find me on tumblr: @kykyelric

“Do not come back to this garden without me.”

And then he was gone. A whisper in the wind.

Yuuri drew in a slow breath, letting it fill out his lungs completely before releasing. Then he stood up and retraced his steps back to the castle.

 _Prince Viktor didn’t say I_ couldn’t _come to the rose garden. He just said I should come_ with _him._

_…_

_Does this mean he accepted me?_

Yuuri was a mess when he finally returned to the cold, stone corridors of the castle. His hair was wind-blown, his cheeks and forehead red from pressing into the grass, and his outfit was flecked with pieces of dirt and leaves. Unlucky for Yuuri, it was decided that just then was the time for the morning bells to ring.

“Ah!” Yuuri exclaimed. “I’ll be late for my first day!”

Yuuri rushed back to his room to make himself presentable, brushing off his uniform as he went. He really needed a bath, but he realized it wasn’t going to happen. Yanking open the door to his room, he sprang into the washroom and yanked a brush through his unruly black locks, splashed water across his face in hopes that it would calm his flush (which it didn’t), and picked off the bigger pieces of twig from his clothes. As he ran a hand through his pockets, he brushed against something he had previously forgotten. _My letter to Minami!_

Yuuri pulled it out, smoothed out the creases in the envelope, and put it back. He would ask Phichit or Chris later where the post was collected. _I wonder how they’re doing…_

But despite how they were doing, Yuuri knew that he wouldn’t regret his actions. He had uncovered a bit more about the Ice Prince, and that amounted to something. He wasn’t keen on blindly following the words of the ‘rebels’ without getting down to the truth himself. There was something about Prince Viktor that nobody knew, a side of him that was hidden deep beneath the layers of ice, hardened around his heart. Yuuri had breached the first layer, and he was now determined – more than ever – to find out more.  

Yuuri stood in front of the mirror in his room in a final inspection. _Hair: check. Clothes: meh, but it’ll work._ Then he rushed out of his room and to the meeting room for the castle management team.

When he burst through the doors, it appeared Phichit had barely started handing out assignments. When he saw Yuuri, Phichit’s face burst out into a broad smile. “Well look who it is! The new recruit, late as I said he would be.”

The room burst into laughter, and Yuuri ducked his head, heat coating his cheeks. He hurriedly took a seat. A moment later, Phichit handed him a piece of paper. “Here, Yuuri, your assignment. You’ll be in the east wing, that’s where I left you yesterday. You remember?” Yuuri nodded.

“Yes, I remember.”

“Alright, then head off now! Good luck today,” Phichit smiled softly and patted Yuuri on the back.

Yuuri also remembered something else about the east wing.

It was right there, the same it had been the day before. The Ice Prince’s painting. Yuuri, duster in hand, stood in front of it and pondered what Chris had said before.

_‘That’s a painting the Ice Prince had commissioned.’_

What had he said after that…?

Ah, that’s right. _‘It was… a long time ago.’_

Chris hadn’t specified how long ago. Now, Yuuri was curious. When had the prince commissioned the painting? Was it several years ago, right before Chris came? Or was it further back than that, perhaps when the prince first arrived at the castle?

A memory flashed in Yuuri’s mind. The colors were faded, blacks and whites standing out sharply against the greying reds and greens. Yuuri could make out a hill, with a forest to the right. Then there was a flash of red, and the sharp prick of pain.

_Skrrrrrrrcchhhhhhh_

“Ugh,” Yuuri groaned. His head hurt from trying to remember details. Was there a person on the hill? More than one? None? It was too hard.

Sighing, his head cradled in the hand that wasn’t holding the duster, Yuuri continued his work, mechanically opening rooms to doors and dragging the tool over surface after surface.

When the noon bell rang for lunch, Yuuri was confident that he had gotten the hang of things.

“Yuuri! Let’s eat lunch together!”

The cheerful voice was Chris’s, and Yuuri turned to meet the man in a hug, awkwardly wrapping his arms around the taller man’s waist. “Chris! Are you okay after last night?”

“What are you talking about?” Chris asked, and he look genuinely confused.

_What?_

A crease formed between Yuuri’s brows, and he pursed his lips. “You don’t remember?”

“We had dinner and went back to our rooms, right?”

“Um,” Yuuri mumbled. _That was for sure not what happened._ “I… guess?”

_Something happened after I left._

Right that moment, a head of shoulder-length, red-brown hair caught Yuuri’s eye. _Leo!_

 _He’s the only one who would’ve known where Chris was. It was_ his _room after all._

Yuuri tugged Chris’s hand. “No matter! Let’s go eat!” He dragged Chris towards the dining hall, careful to avoid Leo’s view. _What if he suspects me?_

As they walked to lunch, Yuuri asked Chris where the post was collected. 

"It's near the front of the palace. Really obvious. You'll know when you get there," Chris remarked, and Yuuri accepted the explanation. 

Lunch was a stressful business for Yuuri, who kept a constant eye on Chris this time. Chris tried to get Yuuri to drink some of the red fluid in his cup multiple times, all of which Yuuri pretended to, but didn’t actually. _I have to be on my toes in case something happens again._ Sometimes Yuuri would glance up at the raised platform, empty of course, his thoughts straying to the prince. Maybe it was a good thing he didn’t eat with his staff, otherwise he would’ve been caught in the direct event. Or maybe it was the opposite – the fact that the prince didn’t eat only made the situation more drastic.

Yuuri managed to avoid Leo for a commendable amount of time. It was only when he and Chris were leaving the dining hall when Yuuri was forced to confront him.

“Yuuri.”

The voice was warm enough, the timbre light and friendly, but it sent a chill down Yuuri’s back nonetheless. Yuuri gestured for Chris to continue without him and spun on his heel to greet the guard.

“Leo.”

“How are you? When I returned to my room you weren’t there.”

“I’m great, thank you,” Yuuri said. His chest was tightening, nervous pangs settling deep in his stomach. He was glad he didn’t eat much for lunch. _Just breath. Act normal. Make up something believable._ “I needed to get a change of clothes, so I went back to my room. I guess I just passed out there.” Yuuri gave a forced laugh. _Was that believable? God, help me._

Leo smiled, and it might have been Yuuri’s imagination, but that smile looked forced too. “I’m glad you’re safe,” he said. “I would’ve felt so very guilty if a new friend of mine got hurt because of me.”

_Is he… provoking me? Stay calm, Yuuri. You can do this. For… for the prince._

_Yes. For Prince Viktor._

“Thank you for your concern,” Yuuri said. And this time, his smile was more realistic. It came easier now, when he thought of what he was protecting. “Well, I’ve got to go get my afternoon duties. If you’ll excuse me.”

Yuuri bowed and turned away from Leo, whose expression had gone neutral. When he had turned the corner and was out of Leo’s line of sight, Yuuri collapsed against the wall, his knees unable to hold himself up.

“Hahh…” His head naturally fell to his hands, and Yuuri felt the tension in his chest bubble up into his throat. It burned there, stinging his eyes with tears. “No,” he whispered. “No crying. You can do this.” But the waterworks wouldn’t listen, and the tears streamed down his cheeks. “Hahh… Ahhghhhrr.” Yuuri forced his sobs back down, containing the noises within himself.

But that only made it _worse_... the tension that was lessened with his tears grew back with every sound he restrained.

Then, Yuuri thought, he understood what Viktor had to go through every day, and it made his heart twinge. It was absolutely _terrible_ , and Yuuri wanted nothing more than to be the one Prince Viktor could rely on. If anyone, Yuuri promised himself, it would be him. No matter who tried to put him down, Yuuri would be there, ready to be his wings, his hopes and dreams.

"Yes," Yuuri whispered. "I can do this."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's snowing HARD where I live. Because of this, I will be busy and might not be able to update daily anymore. Whatever weather you, dear reader, have, please stay safe!


	7. Laughter Before the Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Basically the title.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The scene in this one was difficult to put into words... I hope you see it as vividly as I did. 
> 
> Find me on tumblr: @kykyelric

Yuuri wasn’t sure how long he sat there, but at some point after his tears had dried, he felt the fatigue set in. 

He had been awake for over two days now, and his body was finally shutting down in protest, his eyes disobeying his every word to look up, his legs refusing to lock beneath him. Even his arms would not rise so that he could wave for assistance.

Phichit found him when he didn’t show up for afternoon assignments, and dragged Yuuri to his feet. “Woah, Yuuri. You look terrible. Have you seen those bags under your eyes?”

 _Who is that…?_ Yuuri couldn’t even keep his eyes open. All his senses were muffled… Phichit’s voice seemed like a small drum in the back of his mind, beating with each muted word. Yuuri couldn’t even feel the cold roughness of the stone against his back anymore.

“You should take better care of yourself… Up we go. Come on, my friend. You can have the rest of the day off. Go rest in your room, alright?”

Phichit had to drag Yuuri to his room, an arm settled across his shoulders. Yuuri couldn’t even remember the trip.

* * *

 

“Ugh…” Yuuri moaned, forcing his eyes open. “What…”

He was still in his filthy uniform, laying on his bed. Attempting to sit up, Yuuri cringed, gritting his teeth against the sharp knots in his shoulders and lower back. “That’s what I get for passing out like that…”

Forcing himself up, Yuuri rubbed his neck to try and work out the knots while he attempted to straighten his clothes. Upon feeling in his pockets, he discovered his letter for the second time that day.

_I keep putting this off. Let’s get it done._

So, stretching, Yuuri headed off to the front of the palace.

As he walked, Yuuri realized just how much he had adjusted to the shadows, the icy floors and walls, the absence of decoration. Now, as he confidently strode down the hall that would lead to the main part of the castle, Yuuri didn’t feel frightened. If anything, the lack of material furnishings was comforting. There was nowhere to hide, and nothing _to_ hide.

The hall had been empty (as all the management staff were working), but when Yuuri entered the main foyer, standing at the top of a grand set of stairs, he was met with the frantic scurrying of people with their own agendas. It reminded Yuuri of the chaos of the dining hall, except there was no merriment; the atmosphere was charged, rushed. Someone with a large stack of papers fell, and they rushed to gather them up, only to start again with the same idiotic pace.

Yuuri stepped down the stairs, shoes clacking now that he had moved from plush carpet to hard wood and the usual dark stone, and was careful to avoid those who were coming at him. He glanced around in hopes of finding the mail post. Like Chris said, it was easy to spot; it lay directly to his right.

As Yuuri approached, he overheard the post master discussing the weather with his current customer.

“…might not get there in time.”

  
“What? But I need it there by the end of the week!”

“It can’t be helped, sir. There’s a huge storm in bound from the north, and you know what that entails.”

_…entails?_

“Yeah, yeah. Sorry to bother you,” grumbled the customer before wandering off, hands stuffed in pockets.

Yuuri cautiously approached, his hand grasped around his letter, bent and wrinkled as it was.

“Hello, sir! You wanting to mail that letter of yours?”

The post master greeted him before Yuuri could, and Yuuri stumbled over his words. “Ah, y-yes, sir! This, sir.” The formalities were out of habit, and a light blush settled over Yuuri’s cheeks upon realization. He awkwardly forced the letter into the post master’s hands.

“You okay with it arriving late?” the post master remarked, looking Yuuri in the eye.

“Yes, sir. But… what’s this about a storm?”

The post master appeared surprised, and that only confused Yuuri further. _Is it… common knowledge around here?_

“Well, I can see you aren’t from around these parts,” the man began. Yuuri shook his head, ‘no.’ “We get these huge storms, you see, always from the north, always blow in as fast as the gods can send them. They usually stay for a night or so before fading away. Dump all sorts of stuff on us before they leave, though. Makes it hard to deliver, you know?”

Yuuri nodded. Rain certainly made the roads more difficult to traverse. “Thank you for the information, sir.”

The post master shrugged, but his smile was genuine. “No problem. Everyone’s preparing for it. You have the right to know.”

Yuuri graciously took his leave, heading back up the stairs. He planned to go back to his room and sleep off the rest of his annoying lethargy (it slowed his mind and lips and that was _annoying_ ) while he let his clothes soak in a wash bin.

That was, until he caught a glimpse of a familiar white crown.

Prince Viktor was returning from some sort of meeting out of his castle, and he was now walking ostentatiously through the front doors with a dozen, fully armored rear guards. Everybody in the room dropped to kneel as he walked past, despite what they were doing, and _oh_ it was a sight to behold. The prince _commanded_ attention, forced one’s gaze to him without conscious thought. Just his mere _presence_ in the room was enough for one to lose their breath.

For others, it may be due to his intense aura of intimidation, which many felt as a drop in temperature of several degrees, but for Yuuri…

_Oh gods! He’s coming this way!_

…it was more like the temperature _rose several degrees_.

Yuuri pressed his back to the railing and hid himself from the prince’s view, hoping that he would pass by unnoticed. That, however, was a plan doomed from the start.

_H-How should I react after this morning?? Ahhhhhh-_

The prince strode up the steps and turned, to Yuuri’s dismay, to the _right_ , exactly where Yuuri was hiding. Their eyes met. Brown reflected in blue. Yuuri’s mouth hung open, frozen in shock (and maybe a bit of horror), until he got a hang of himself and forced a bow to the thick carpeting, pressing his forehead down just as he had done in the garden. Perhaps the same position would grant him similar luck.

The air was cold, the tension thick, viscous, almost as if one could _feel_ it, _taste_ it. The guards standing behind the Ice Prince didn’t dare make a peep, the people a level below still had not moved a nanometer, and all was still

for

a

single

second.

...

“Heh.”

And then the prince walked on. Did Yuuri hear that correctly?

Was that… Did the Ice Prince just _laugh?_

Yuuri let out the breath he had been holding unconsciously and stood to shaky knees. At that moment, he had been the closest person to the prince… he was the only one who could’ve heard it. But with that thought in mind, it seemed even less probable.

But Yuuri _felt_ that he had heard it. His ears may be untrustworthy, but his heart… He could trust his heart.

A bubble of amusement rose in his chest, and a smile adorned his face.

Yes, he had heard correctly. The prince _did_ laugh.

Yuuri put a skip in his step as he headed back to his room. He had made the prince laugh. _I made the prince laugh!_

But his joy was short-lived, however, as he was interrupted with a terrible _howling_ that rang through the halls, clattered at the windows, and banged at the doors.

It was a ringing in his ears, a whooshing through his hair… it was a shadow that crept through the windows and clawed at the walls to plaster itself in places light dare go no longer.

Clapping his hands over his ears, Yuuri sprinted for his room, locking the door behind him. But the shadows followed him, inching their way in from the windows, the wind _crawling_ at his scalp and _tearing_ at any skin that it could reach. Yuuri tore off his uniform and pulled on his nightgown, barely managing to toss the dirty clothes into a wash bin before he burrowed deep under the blankets in his bed. The storms at King's Palace had _never_ been this bad. It would be a long time before he fell asleep, Yuuri knew.

What did he say about getting used to this place?

The storm had begun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter is one of my favorites. Please look forward to it!
> 
> Also, what do you like the best? The political struggle? The mystery? The Viktuuri? If I can, I'd like to cater to interests. Otherwise, I'll just continue with how it is now, a mix of all three.


	8. The Ice Prince's Snow Garden

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The snow brings magical moments (not literally).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We hit 1000 hits (wowwww!!!), so I'm releasing this chapter early in celebration. I'm shocked that this work has received so much attention. I might create a schedule so that updates are planned out week by week. Please look forward to each chapter!
> 
> Find me on tumblr: @kykyelric

Yuuri awoke to a deadening silence. It filled the castle with an invisible fluff, coated the walls, ceiling, and floor, painted the windows in soundproof glass, and weighed heavily on all who were conscious enough to notice it.

As Yuuri stretched and went about his morning routine, the silence weighed on him. It pushed his shoulders down, strained at his back and neck, and pulled his arms down down down... Yuuri didn't notice until it was finally lifted.

He approached his window and threw open the drapes. And, just like that, the weight was gone.

It hadn’t been a rain storm like he had experienced at the King’s Palace.

The whole courtyard until the cliff edge was blanketed with a soft, white snow. From this distance, the snow shone with the light reflected from the sunrise, and it blinded Yuuri. He had only ever seen snow in books. It was so bright, Yuuri had to look away. Then, he had a vision.

Prince Viktor, walking amongst the red roses, which stood out even more against the endless white, his face lifted to the light, his crown the source of all admiration. Prince Viktor's careful steps, crunching deliciously into the perfect white powder beneath his feet, marking it as _his_. Prince Viktor's breath, billowing out in the freezing air, his cheeks a slight pink, his icy eyes clear, _oh so clear_ , as he turned to stare at Yuuri. Staring into his _soul_...

Yuuri saw all this and more, as he stared at the rose garden below him. Then he blinked and the vision was gone.

_I have to get to the rose garden._

But there was an insistent knock at Yuuri's door, and Yuuri realized that he couldn't. He had to get to work.

Yuuri’s morning assignment took him to the opposite hall from yesterday’s, so he had no chance of seeing the painting. He did, however, run into Chris, who was in charge of serving a large group of visitors gathered in one of the gala rooms. Yuuri caught him as he was heading out of the door.

“Ah, Chris. Good morning,” Yuuri greeted.

“Yuuri!” Chris chirped, an empty platter balanced on one hand. He turned from his original direction and approached Yuuri, a large smile plastered on his face. “How are you? I didn’t see you after you were with that guard.”

“I’m fine,” Yuuri said. “You look busy, though. Walk and talk?”

“Yuuri, always so responsible,” Chris teased, winking.

Yuuri laughed, a light, pinging sound that originated from his chest and flung through his throat. “That’s coming from the assistant head chef!”

Yuuri fell into step beside Chris, following him as he headed back to the kitchen to refill what Yuuri guessed was a platter of champagne glasses.

“Chris,” Yuuri began. _I need to get to the bottom of this painting mystery._ “When we met in the east hall, you were telling me about the prince’s painting…”

Chris flinched. “Y-Yeah, I was.”

“Could you elaborate? I mean, when exactly did he have it commissioned?”

Chris’s jaw was set, his teeth obviously clenched. “I think it was right after he arrived here. I wasn’t here, of course. I’ve only heard rumors.”

_Right after he arrived…?_

“Why did he have it commissioned?”

“Look,” Chris stated, stopping in his tracks and turning to face Yuuri, his hands coming to rest on Yuuri’s shoulders to hold him an arm’s length away. “I don’t get why you’re so interested in the Ice Prince, but I would recommend you stop being so curious, okay?”

Yuuri froze. “…Eh?”

Chris’s eyes shifted back and forth as if to check nobody was overhearing them, even though they were currently alone in the hall. He leaned in closer, as if what he was about to say was very serious. “Yuuri, there’s been talk, you know, about the Ice Prince. And talk among those who don’t know what to do with their lives is dangerous talk. I would stay away from both sides, if I were you. Stay neutral. Like me.”

Yuuri couldn’t even move a muscle. His brain worked like wildfire. _Chris, you don’t realize that the talk has already mounted to something, and I’ve chosen my side. You’re too late._

Then he felt Chris shake his shoulders. “Haha! Loosen up, new recruit. Can’t be too serious around here.”

But Yuuri knew exactly what Chris meant. _‘That’s it. End of story.’_

* * *

 

At the end of the day, Yuuri made sure he was alone when he headed to the loose window that would lead him to the rose garden. Carefully, he stepped over the sill and down the ladder, lifting his hands and feet with the utmost caution so he wouldn't slip on the ice-coated rungs. Then, there was the trek through the trees, ferns, and moss, all of which were covered with a perfect layer of white. The branches of the pines and maple hung low with their weight, and the leaves of the ferns were a mirror image, on a smaller scale. At a closer distance, the plants sparkled in the light from the now-setting sun. They glistened, and Yuuri loved it. Tempted, he brushed his hand against a branch, and watched as a little blizzard of flakes cascaded down to the forest floor, twisting and twirling on some wind Yuuri could not see.

_The books really can't capture the real thing._

The flakes caught the rays of dying sunlight just right, and it mesmerized Yuuri. He stopped and held his hand out beneath the tumbling flakes, catching a few on his outstretched palm. Bringing it up to his face, he could barely make out the sharp edges of the unique snowflake designs before they melted into little pools in his hand.

_Prince Viktor told me not to come here without him... but I have to see it. I just have to._

Because Yuuri had never seen snow before. Never _felt_ it, nor _heard_ the silence it weighed on everything. Never  _tasted_ it with his entire being.

And Yuuri _loved_ it. He loved how the snow didn’t discriminate, how it covered everything within reach, how it gave the air a wonderfully muted feeling. It was freeing, liberating.

Yuuri approached the clearing of the rose garden and took careful steps from then on out. Each foot was placed with the utmost caution, as to not ruin any of the roses or other vegetation. But Yuuri couldn’t be careful for long. The sight was too grand, too _beautiful_ for him to hold back any longer.

The roses were painted in specks of translucent ice, remnants of frozen dew. They shone like they were fake, like white and red glass roses hanging on painted white bushes. Yuuri couldn’t help himself, and reached forward to touch one. He brushed the delicate petals, and the ice was smooth underneath the pads of his fingers. The rose dipped under his touch, ever so slightly, and caught the light at a different angle, dazzling Yuuri. He suddenly had the urge to pick it, but didn’t dare.

Trying to turn his thoughts away from the dangerous one of picking roses, Yuuri turned to the trail he had followed yesterday. The snow was fresh everywhere, and Yuuri felt odd, his footsteps being the first to travel across such paths. Though it was only an illusion, the snow providing for such thoughts, Yuuri let it fill him with an odd confidence.

He came to the bench that appeared to be Prince Viktor’s favorite, and Yuuri brushed the snow off of it before sitting down. If it weren’t for the arrogance the snow had lent him, he wouldn’t have dared to think of taking such an action, let alone actually doing it, but he was oddly at peace with the situation now. Nothing seemed wrong when he was surrounded by endless white purity.

Looking up, Yuuri wondered at the baby blue of the sky, not a single cloud in sight, and smiled. _Thank you, gods, for giving me this moment._

 _Crunch_.

Yuuri whirled around, and stood up from the bench, but this time, it wasn’t out of fear. His heart was threatening to beat out of his chest, but it was due to a strange _power_ surge through him, his chin raised confidently to show it. He wasn’t scared of his life; he only felt an immense protectiveness for this place, for _Prince Viktor’s_ place. No one would ruin it under his watch.

Well, no one except Prince Viktor himself.

Yuuri came face to face with a pair of azure eyes and a white crown that blended with the endless white around them. Prince Viktor’s expression had originally been one of anger, but now it melted into awe, his mouth slack, his eyes taking on a shine Yuuri had never seen before. Prince Viktor’s hands fell to his sides, and he seemed a little weak in the knees.

Yuuri thought for a second, and then he realized. _Our positions are reversed._

In his vision, he was the one looking up at a prince surrounded by the wonders of the snow. Now, it was Prince Viktor gazing up at _him_.

And his reaction was the same Yuuri had in his vision.

Upon this realization, Yuuri’s chin fell to a humble height, his brown gaze breaking respectively from blue. “Y-Your highness,” Yuuri stammered, and was about to collapse into a kneeling position, despite the cold wetness that was the snow.

“Don’t.” The voice was commanding, authoritative. Yuuri didn’t even think about disobeying. He looked up tentatively.

“…No…?”

“Don’t kneel,” the prince specified. “You’ll get your uniform wet.”

Yuuri straightened, “Yes, your highness,” but kept his head bowed slightly.

“Raise your chin again.”

Another command, another order that Yuuri instantly obeyed. He raised his chin a couple marks, but shifted his eyes away from the prince in order to remain respectful.

“Look at me.”

At this, Yuuri hesitated. His innards were _screaming_ at him to refuse, to tell the prince that he mustn’t, that it would be utter disrespect to look down on him like that. But his heart wanted to obey the prince’s every word. _Without hesitation._

So he did. “Yes, your highness.”

His eyes drifted slowly over to meet icy blue ones. And what happened was incredible.

The prince’s eyes melted into shining pools of water, endless pools that Yuuri could lose himself in. They were clear, _oh so clear_ , and Yuuri had a flashback to his vision.

Except their roles were still reversed, and the prince was the one revering _him._

The moment lasted forever, Yuuri staring at Prince Viktor and the prince refusing to break his gaze, their breath billowing out in puffy clouds that rose and disappeared into the still air…

And then the prince turned his back to Yuuri and broke his gaze.

“I thought I told you not to come here without me.”

“I-” Yuuri began, an excuse on his tongue.

“I do not care what your excuse is,” the prince interrupted. “But I am changing things. From now on, you shall serve me. You will come when I call you, no hesitation.”

A shiver racked Yuuri’s body, and it wasn’t because of the cold. It was pure pleasure, emanating from his heart and absorbing through his body and soul, giving him an ecstatic _glow_ on the levels he had never felt before. He was wanted. He was needed. _I’m going to be serving the prince!_

“Yes, your highness.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See you next time and have a spectacular week. ^^  
> If you are an American refugee affected by Trump's executive order, know that I've got your back. I am an American who does not support Trump, nor his order. You are not alone. If you need someone to talk to, message me on tumblr @kykyelric or comment here, on AO3.


	9. Two Requests

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prince Viktor makes a request. This leads Yuuri to make one too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't really say much without spoiling. Lolol. I'll just say that this chapter is the calm before the storm. Enjoy~   
> (I've caught a really bad cold, so please excuse the late updates as I fight off this illness.)
> 
> Find me on tumblr! @kykyelric

Yuuri was ecstatic. The prince had _accepted_ him, the _Ice Prince_ of all people!

“Don’t just stand there. I told you that you cannot come here without me, and that includes staying here while I leave.”

Yuuri snapped out of his high, and ran sloppily through the snow until he stood a couple steps behind the prince. Even though he was sure the prince couldn’t see him, he bowed and apologized. “I’m sorry, your highness. It will not happen again.”

“It better not,” the prince snapped, and began to walk back to the castle again, this time with Yuuri in tow.

But Yuuri heard an obvious smile in the prince’s words, and it made him grin in return.

Prince Viktor’s pace was quicker than Yuuri’s, him having longer legs, so Yuuri had a bit of trouble keeping up. He wasn’t used to the snow, so he had to keep his head down, making sure he didn’t twist his ankle stepping on a lopsided lump of the white substance. This made him lag a bit behind the prince, who grew frustrated.

“What are you doing? Keep up.”

Breathing hard, Yuuri gasped, “I-I’m trying, your highness.”

Prince Viktor had expected a ‘yes,’ so Yuuri’s phrase made him pause and turn around. He saw Yuuri’s struggle, how Yuuri’s head was lowered in concentration, and his expression grew dark, his lips pressing into a thin line. Yuuri paused when he had caught up, and risked a glance at the taller individual. “Y-Your highness?”

But Prince Viktor simply whirled around and continued on through the brush.

_Prince Viktor…?_

When the two had reentered the castle, Prince Viktor planted his feet and slowly turned to look at Yuuri, whose chin was still angled downward. Then Yuuri felt a cold finger on his chin, and the air caught in his lungs. The atmosphere was chilled, but his stomach burned with low heat. It bubbled and churned until Yuuri felt his throat was closing on steam. His eyes flashed up to lock with the prince’s.

“Keep your chin up when you’re with me. No servant of mine deserves to look so… _submissive_.”

Prince Viktor’s words barely registered in Yuuri’s mind. All he could think of was the prince’s touch on his face and the _flawless_ ice of his eyes. It held him captive, removed all chance of other thoughts creeping into his mind… made his breath halt and heart race at the speed of light.

“You should be _proud_.”

Yuuri’s breath melted like ice in the sun. It flowed softly down his throat and filled his chest with warm water, a heavy, comforting weight. “P-Prince Viktor…” _He wants me to be proud._

Yuuri had been asked a lot of things.

_Nobody has asked that of me before._

Then the prince broke his lingering gaze and waved at Yuuri dismissively. “They are about to serve supper. Go have some.”

Yuuri was sure hunger was the last thing on his mind, but he bowed slightly and headed away from the prince, towards the dining hall. The blue eyes burned into his back as he went, but Yuuri didn’t dare turn around to meet them, no matter how much the weight in his chest pulled him backwards. The Ice Prince was like a black hole, its gravity un He felt that he had used up a lifetime of courage. His heart was spent.

At the dining room, Yuuri sought out Phichit, who was drinking at the edge of the table with several other staff members. There was something Yuuri wanted… that only Phichit could grant him. He didn’t look drunk, and to Yuuri, that was the spark of reassurance that pushed him to make his request.

“Phichit.”

The brown-skinned man turned around at the sound of his name. “Oh, hey, Yuuri! What’s up?”

Yuuri took a deep breath, then spouted out what he wanted to say before his mind could stop him. “I would like to take the outside assignments tomorrow, if that would be alright?”

“The outside assignments?” Phichit echoed, his eyebrows knitted together in confusion. “Are you sure? I know you’re not used to the snow, coming from the King’s Palace.”

“I know,” Yuuri confirmed. “That’s why I would like to force it on myself. So that I _am_ used to the snow.” _So that I can be more useful to the prince._

Phichit was still confused, but he relented. Yuuri happily retreated, finding a spot by Chris that Chris had gracefully saved for him. He allowed himself a little drink this time, and the alcohol calmed the tension that had tailed him throughout the day. The turkey he tore into was good, too, and the tomatoes were just sweet enough to be satisfactory.

Chris was especially ecstatic about this new Yuuri who seemed to be enjoying the food and drink. He poured more wine into Yuuri’s cup. “Drink, drink!”

Yuuri obliged, tipping his glass back and swallowing a large mouthful of the substance. It was bitter on his tongue. “Bleh! Chris, what did you give me?” Yuuri spat. “I want some of that persimmon wine.”

Yuuri grew so relaxed that he didn’t notice when Leo sat down in front of him, Guang Hong on his arm, drunk again.

“You mean this?” A glass of pale pink liquid was dangled in front of his nose.

Yuuri giggled a bit, though he didn’t know why, and took the glass offered to him. “Wow! Mr. Perfect.” He took a sip and sighed appreciatively. The sweet drink slipped past his tongue and burned down his throat, masking all of the remaining bitterness in thick honey. A tempting buffer to Leo’s next words.

“I heard you’ll be taking outside assignments now?”

“Oh, yes!” Yuuri exclaimed, leaning forward and setting his elbow down on the table, chin in his hand. He licked his lips, unconsciously searching for more of the irresistible substance. “I gotta prepare myself.”

“For what?” Leo asked, leaning forward so that his face was mere inches from Yuuri’s. His dark eyes were intense, searching. But Yuuri was lax, and the intensity didn’t transfer much.

He exhaled a breath of the sweet wine into Leo’s face and whispered, “’Cause I got a new assignment. Don’t wanna fail it.” _Yes. A fun new assignment._

Leo frowned and leaned away, to which Yuuri giggled again. _Alcohol is fun! Or is that just the alcohol speaking?_ “Hehe. Leo.”

Leo tipped his head slightly. “Yes?”

“You should watch Guang Hong. Hehe. He’s always getting drunk.”

Leo looked fondly at Guang Hong, who was currently drooling over a piece of chicken, a half-full glass in his hand. Leo quickly removed it. “Ah! Hey, how did you get that?” Then he turned back to Yuuri. “Yeah, I-”

But Yuuri was already gone, his seat empty.

In fact, Yuuri had escaped the dining hall and was now wandering the halls back to his room, his steps just a bit wobbly. The cool air of the castle felt nice against his boiling cheeks. Though the air was especially crisp due to the recent snowstorm, it floated over him, like clouds, not touching enough to chill him, but enough to elevate his high just a bit further than if he had stayed in the dining hall any longer. “Leo… He knows nothing. Hehe. Asking questions like that. What does he expect me to say? That Prince Viktor specifically asked me to serve him? What bullshit! Hehe.”

Yuuri grasped the side of the wall as he stumbled over his own feet, and the bleak stone on his over-heated fingers didn’t even faze his high. “He doesn’t know it’s true though. Hehe. He’s so clueless.” This specifically seemed particularly funny to slightly-drunk-Yuuri, invoking a particularly strong outburst of giggles.

But, because of his intense giggling, he failed to notice the shadow that had crept up behind him, and that was now fading away, nor the carpet-softened steps that went with it.

Yuuri went to bed satisfied, though the safety he felt was false. A certain red-brown haired individual sat in his room, a map of the castle in one hand, a shovel in the other.  

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooooooo your comments keep me going! (Even though everybody says that, it's so true.) More political tension on the rise, and, of course, more luscious master/servant Viktuuri. Because I can't help myself, and, let's admit it, neither can you.


	10. The Ice Prince's Gardener

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri starts to learn more about the world of the Ice Prince, though indirectly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 10 already! Thank you for being so patient with my updates. ^^

_What happened last night...?_

When Yuuri awoke, his memory was blurry. He remembered the sweet taste of persimmons and the bright lights of the dining hall. When had he gotten back to his room?

_"-n't interfere."_

And whose voice was that in his head? He couldn't remember exactly... only a flash of red-brown color and harsh words whispered at his ear. 

Yuuri did his best to shake off the odd feelings and pulled on his uniform. Interfere? How could he interfere with anything? He was just a servant. 

At morning assignments, Phichit held true to his word and gave Yuuri an outdoor assignment. However, Yuuri, so confident before, now trembled as he held the slip of paper and attached envelope. He was supposed to deliver it to the gardener who lived in a separate building from the castle, and, undoubtedly, he was supposed to travel through the snow to get there. _On foot._

But Yuuri had brought this on himself, and he kept at it, reminding himself just why he was doing something that made him so uncomfortable. _So that I can be better for the prince._

His first step outside had him whirling his arms to try and keep his balance as his feet slipped on the ice. Luckily, he didn’t fall, but the chagrin was plain on his cheeks, rosy red from the embarrassment of his uncontrolled actions. Then, determination setting into the scrunch of his eyebrows, Yuuri took another, _careeeefulllll_ , step forward. He tested the ground with his toe, and when the friction between the edge of his boot and ground held, he gingerly placed his foot down fully.

“Hah…” Yuuri sighed. The air was bitingly cold, though there was no wind, and the tips his ears and nose were already starting to go numb. He let his brown eyes wander until they met the sky. It was blue, oh so blue. Not a cloud in sight.

 _Just like his eyes._ Yuuri let a smile melt on his face. _Clear, sharp blue._ Then he took another step forward and fell smack dab on his butt.

It took him what seemingly felt like forever, but eventually Yuuri got the hang of walking on the snow and ice, now able to recognize what was snow and what was ice, and whether the snow or ice was rough enough to trek safely. Sometimes he would concentrate so hard on the ground in front of him that he almost knocked headfirst into a tree or two.

At least he didn’t slip like he had in front of the castle. He didn’t want that embarrassment again.

The gardener’s cottage rose in front of him, the air musky with the scent of wood that was absent from the Ice Prince’s Castle. Vines snaked their way up a pair of rough stone columns that marked the front of the little space. Past them lay a single door, decorated with an evergreen wreath hanging on the front. In the confined courtyard between the columns and the door were countless plants… bushes hanging heavy with berries, soft heather and moss, ferns and small oak and maple saplings… and, to Yuuri’s surprise, many of the plants were blooming, despite the deadly cold of the snow.

He was staring, mesmerized, when he heard the front door open. A skinny man with a hardened jaw and bushy eyebrows stepped out, a floppy hat on his head covering a nest of tangled grey hair. He wore thin clothes, a white cotton shirt and baggy trousers tucked into his heavy boots. He carried two pairs of leather gloves in his hands, and a bright, genuine smile on his face.

“It’s about time the garden was shoveled,” he remarked, and to Yuuri, his voice was all _earth_ and _roots_ and _warm, sandy grit_.

“How do you get the flowers to bloom in the dead of winter?” Yuuri asked, forgetting all about the letter in his hand.

“How do the carpenters make furniture? How do the cooks bake cakes? It’s all the same,” the gardener chuckled. He crouched by Yuuri and gently fingered a purple blossom between his fingers, that, Yuuri noticed, were browned with Sun and dirt, his pads rough from handling tools and rough stone.

Yuuri met the gardener’s gaze. His response didn’t make much sense, but for some reason Yuuri accepted it. It felt… _satisfying_ , somehow.

“That is for me?”

The gardener was reaching for the letter, one battered hand extended towards Yuuri. Yuuri looked down at his own hands, clutching the piece of paper, and placed it into the gardener’s, who immediately ripped it open. The sudden, tearing motion startled Yuuri, who backed away a step, nearly tripping on the uneven ground beneath him.

The gardener was staring at the paper, his eyes flickering back and forth as he scanned the lines with a hidden intensity that reminded Yuuri of a certain someone. Even the gradual downturn of his lips as he frowned in concentration were reminiscent of a certain icy grimace, one Yuuri could picture _very_ clearly-

Then the gardener tore up the paper, his dark eyes growing even darker. Yuuri stumbled and stood to catch himself. “W-Why are you ripping it?” he asked, thoroughly confused.

The gardener paused, the last large piece in his hand. But, he seemed to catch himself, and completed the job, tearing down the center of the sheet with a defined, _Skrrrrrrrrrtch._

When he finally looked up at Yuuri, his smile was blinding. “Like I said, the garden needs shoveling.” Then he offered Yuuri one of the pairs of gloves before digging into the snow around the base of a blueberry bush.

 _That smile was meant as a distraction_ , Yuuri deduced as he silently worked beside the man. _That letter was something I was not meant to see._

Or, rather…

 _Something he thought I_ shouldn’t _see._

Yet, despite the secrets the gardener was keeping from Yuuri, the two worked in a companionable silence, and when Yuuri couldn’t remove a particularly stubborn ice block, the gardener reached over and helped him tug it out.

When the small courtyard was almost clear from the snow, the gardener stretched, his back popping with a painful _krrrrk_ , and faced Yuuri. “Let’s go inside and talk over tea, yes?”

Yuuri managed an agreeable smile and followed the gardener in.

The inside of the cottage was cozy; the wood-burning stove that marked the kitchen area radiated warmth out into the central living room, which was filled with a single couch, two chairs, and a small coffee table. There were two doors leading off to the right that Yuuri thought were bedrooms. It was strange… the cottage seemed to be made for two, though the gardener was the only one.

“You live alone?” Yuuri asked, glancing around him and taking in the details of the cottage. Like the castle, it was slight in decoration. The only adornments were paintings of various flowers on the walls. But those, Yuuri thought, were so exquisite, so _realistic_ , that they made up for any other embellishments that a place might have.

“Yes,” the gardener paused after a moment. It was like he had to think about the statement before answering. _But_ , Yuuri thought, _shouldn’t the answer be obvious?_

“Take a seat,” the gardener offered, extending his hand to the living room. “I’ll brew tea.”

Yuuri placed himself in one of the armchairs, running his fingers over the soft felt and smooth wood. It felt nice after the hard, physical labor of a couple minutes ago.

The gardener entered the living room with a tray containing two cups of steaming herbal tea. He placed it on the coffee table and extended his arm towards it. “Feel free to partake. Tea is always remedial for cold weather.”

Yuuri gratefully took a mug, relishing in the warmth it transferred into his still-cold palms. “Thank you.” The liquid was slightly sweet, and flavored with raspberries. The herbs, however, left a bitter tang on his tongue long after the sweetness was gone.

“No worries,” the gardener murmured, taking a sip of his own tea, as if the bitterness was a natural part of his world. “You have a question for me?”

He asked that as if he could read Yuuri’s thoughts. _Did_ Yuuri have a question? He could ask about the letter, or the extra room in the house, but those seemed like _shallow_ questions. Yuuri wanted to get to the root of his curiosity.

“Just speak your mind.”

Yuuri pursed his lips and stared down into the amber liquid of his cup. What did he _really_ want to know? “Um…” he hesitated, gathering his thoughts. Then he decided. He knew what had been nagging him from the point when the gardener had approached him. “Did you know I was coming?”

The gardener chuckled, a deep, textured sound that reverberated off the earthy walls. “Sort of. I could guess as much.”

“How so?” Yuuri pressed, leaning forward, intrigued.

“I could see it in your eyes.”

“See what?” Yuuri grew frustrated as the gardener beat around the bush.

“That you’ve seen the rose garden.”

It was barely more than a whisper, but Yuuri froze. Did that make much of a difference, that he’d seen it? “H-How can you tell?”

“Not very many people have seen it, and from the looks of it, you’ve been there, too,” the gardener murmured, a slight smile gracing his lips. His dark eyes sparkled just a bit.

“…” Yuuri hesitated. He half expected the gardener to prompt him to voice his thoughts once more, but he remained silent, so Yuuri continued by his own free will. “You’re right. I’ve been there.”

“More than once?”

“Yes.”

“You have gained his majesty’s trust, I presume?”

There was another chuckle, and Yuuri felt himself warm to the grey-haired man with the strong jaw and bitter tea. “I… guess?” he laughed. Compared to the gardener, his laugh was almost too loud in the small cottage, bells ringing in a confined space, sound bouncing off the walls and entering his ears one too many times.

“You are a lucky man, Yuuri.”

Yuuri gasped. “You know my name?”

“Of course,” the gardener smirked. “I know the names of all the people the prince chooses to rely on. You are no exception.”

Yuuri was taken aback. He was just a gardener… right?

“Oh, excuse me,” the man said. He extended out his right hand, expecting Yuuri to shake it. Yuuri did. “My name is Yakov. I’ve known the prince for a long time.”

Yuuri could feel Yakov’s age through his touch, the wrinkles and the callouses. But it was an age layered with endless experience, and suddenly Yuuri felt very small and insignificant. He wasn’t special. Why did he even ask Phichit to give him outdoor assignments if he couldn’t even put his newfound “skill” of walking on the snow to use? The prince had many others whom he relied on. Probably.

If anything, Yuuri felt that Yakov had something he didn’t… a bond that could not be broken by time or decision. Yuuri could guess why there was another room in the cottage, and it only further established the feeling he got from Yakov.

The room was silent for a moment before a distant ringing filled the air.  
  
“Ah!” Yuuri exclaimed. “The afternoon bells. I should get back.” He stood up hastily, setting his half-full tea cup down on the tray.

Yakov stood up after him. He gave Yuuri a mysterious smile. “Please take care of the prince.”

Nodding, Yuuri didn’t think much of the comment in his desperation to get back to the castle, and to his afternoon assignments. His thoughts chased themselves in the whirlpool that was his inner turmoil. He did, however, realize he had made yet another friend in the Ice Prince’s gloomy castle.

The castle he had previously thought nothing much of before was now filling with color one could not see with physical sight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The more I write, the more I seem to get invested in this story. <3 Is that the same for you?


	11. A Visit to the King's Palace pt.1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Explicit language in this chapter due to the introduction of a certain character that we all know and love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Your comments are so kind. T-T Thank you all for being so kind and supportive! 
> 
> We hit 100 kudos! Just for that, I'm posting this chapter early for you guys. :)
> 
> Find me on tumblr! @kykyelric (I take commissions!)

 

The castle was bustling when Yuuri returned. It had taken him considerably less time getting back, and Yuuri took pride in the fact that he was now able to somewhat cross large expanses of snow- and ice-covered ground without embarrassing himself.

Before Yuuri could walk through the doors, someone carrying a large stack of parchment rammed into his shoulder, causing both persons to collapse onto the freezing ground. The papers scattered everywhere. Instinctively, Yuuri caught several that were about to fly off and pressed them to the ground before gathering several into a stack to hand back to the person. He wasn’t expecting the sharp response.

“Ugh. Annoying jackass. Why’d you have to run into me like that?!”

“… Excuse me?”

The stranger was fitted in the loose robes of a high-ranking official. His golden-blonde locks hung just above his shoulders, and he had bangs covering one of his sharp, emerald eyes. “Fuck off, asshole. Can’t you see we’re extremely busy right now?!”

“What’s going on?” Yuuri asked innocently, cringing away from the stranger and his harsh tongue.

The blonde sighed heavily, exasperated. “Prince Viktor is out-bound for a trip to the King’s Palace, but he can’t seem to find the _one_ servant he wishes accompany him. And we can’t leave without him. The asshole.”

Yuuri’s mind went blank. _A servant…_

“… it’s all his fault we’re panicking right now. Ugh… Fucking asshole…”

_Crap._

At this point the snarky official was mumbling, having gathered the last of the parchment. He stood up abruptly and patted his robes off with an arrogant flick of the wrist. His chin was raised in utter dominance as he glared down at Yuuri’s still crouching form. Yuuri didn’t know what to say. “Um…”

“How about you go look for him, piggy,” the blonde spat. Then he ran off towards the awaiting carriage.

“Piggy…?” Yuuri echoed, confused. “Okay…” Why was someone shorter than him calling him such terms? It wasn't like Yuuri could counter, being the servant he was.

Yuuri’s initial surprise had just about worn off… leaving a panic that slowly sank in. What if the servant the Ice Prince was searching for was _him??_ Yuuri was going to be in _huge_ trouble. The anxiety that originally floated like a dark cloud in his throat was sinking sinking _sinking_ into his chest, settling like an indispensable shadow of fog. It was suffocating, constricting, restraining, and no matter how hard Yuuri tried to convince himself that the servant wasn’t him, the mere chance that it could be him thickened the air in his lungs and made his knees tremble as if they couldn’t hold the pressure.

Nonetheless, he somehow managed to creep into the castle, past the guards standing at the doors, and across the large foyer. As he stood at the foot of the stairs, he stared at his feet. For some reason they wouldn’t move the necessary height to climb the stairs. It ended up not being a problem, however, because a loud, authoritative voice boomed behind him.

“There you are!” A loud clomping grew ever louder, echoing off the expansive ceiling. “Where were you?”

A rain of dread pooled beneath his fog of anxiety until the fog dissipated, leaving only a soaking weight in his stomach. As he slowly turned, he tried very hard not to throw up.

Brown eyes met blue, and Yuuri felt sick. _I’m dead, I’m dead, I’m dead-_

“Let’s go.”

The Ice Prince didn’t even approach him. He merely whirled around, his fur-ringed cape flying out behind him, leaving Yuuri to stand, unsure, staring at his receding back.

And apparently the Ice Prince could tell, because he insisted, “I told you to come. Let’s go!”

That broke Yuuri’s stupor, and he chased after the prince, tripping over his own feet several times before he stood a couple steps behind him.

The prince’s back was a sight to be seen. As Yuuri waited patiently behind the prince, who waited for the guards to open the front doors, he let his gaze wander over the prince’s mighty shoulders, covered by layers of fabric and decorated with gemstones undoubtedly put in place to highlight his features. The strike of his jaw (which Yuuri could just barely make out from this angle). The way his back curved with his regal stance… always chin up, hands calm and yet so authoritative by his sides. His hips adorned with a belt on which hung a sword sheathed in a scabbard that, too, was decorated in the perfect arrangement of jewels and swirls of sparkles that caught the light in just the right way.

Yuuri took all this in, and more. He wanted to drink in the prince. Take in all he could before he would be pushed away… just as he had at the King’s Palace.

The prince waltzed out of the castle once the front doors were held open graciously for him by the guards, and Yuuri followed on his heels, always two steps behind him. Being an escort, yes, that was something Yuuri knew how to do.

Yuuri was grateful for his practice walking outside when they left the building. He could now keep up with the prince’s long, confident strides, even if he had to keep his eyes locked on the ground. He made it to the carriage with only one minor slip, though that was enough to set his cheeks ablaze. He was sure Prince Viktor had seen it out of the corner of his eye and had been gracious enough not to call it out.

Now, Yuuri was sitting next to the prince, and the atmosphere was tense, charged.

 _What am I supposed to do?! I’m sitting next to a prince! No…_ the _prince! Prince Viktor!_

Yuuri risked a glance to his left, and saw that the prince was gazing out of his window, his icy orbs no longer trained on Yuuri. It gave him a bit of relief, and he let a small sigh release from his lips. His hands worked nervously into his trousers, kneading the material until his fingers hurt. The carriage bumped along the road, and the clopping of the horses’ hooves was the only sound that filled the deathly silence.

Yuuri wanted to speak. He wanted to talk to the prince… to soften the ice that he kept around him, mind and body. Heart and soul. But he just couldn’t. It was that simple. There seemed to be a boundary restricting his tongue from making the sounds he knew would break the mood. His mind could form the words, the _Your highness, why me?_ or the _How can I help you?_

If anything, Yuuri just wanted to say, _Tell me what to do._

_Tell me what you need me for, in that strong voice of yours. The one I can trust._

_The one that is as strong as the stone towers that hold up the bridges… as calming and dependent as the tides._

Yuuri didn’t understand why he felt that way. He barely knew the cold individual who sat so calm next to him, and yet who emanated a tense aura that Yuuri felt he had no chance breaching. But he wanted to try. He wanted to be a person the prince felt he didn’t need to keep up the icy wall that was his emotional preserve.

Or maybe Yuuri was just being presumptuous, thinking the prince was like him. Maybe he wasn’t, and the cold was just a part of him. Maybe Yuuri would never get to see the prince he fantasized about, because he just wasn’t there. That was what kept Yuuri from speaking, from reaching out that short distance to try and bring out the prince he “knew” was there.

Because maybe it was all in his head.

The carriage came to a stop, and Yuuri looked out of his window for the first time on the trip. He had been stuck in his head the whole time and hadn’t bothered. Now, though, he was struck with a longing bout of homesickness. The white walls of the King’s Palace rose up farther than he could make out from the carriage, and the banners embroidered with the King’s crest hanging from the towers were a welcome, familiar sight. 

Yuuri opened the door to the carriage ahead of the prince, carefully taking steps forward so that he could hold the door open while the prince stepped out. As he did, Yuuri’s gaze fell naturally downwards, his chin respectfully lowered. Then he remembered the prince’s words.

_“Keep your chin up when you’re with me.”_

_“No servant of mine deserves to look so… submissive.”_

Yuuri gasped at the sudden memory, and his eyes leapt upwards. They met icy blue orbs, filled with satisfaction the depths Yuuri felt he would never know. The prince had a slight smile on his face at Yuuri’s actions, and he tapped Yuuri on the cheek once with a long, slender, glove-covered finger.

“That’s better.”

Yuuri tried to inhale. He couldn’t. The breath caught in his throat, stopped there. The moment was endless… and yet not long enough. The prince turned away and began walking towards the white walls of the King’s Palace.

Instead of breathing, Yuuri forced himself to follow, two steps behind. Always two steps behind. However, something was slightly concerning. The ground seemed to slope slightly, and the icy layer that coated it seemed too… even. From Yuuri’s past experience that day, he knew just how terrible navigating an icy walkway was, with all the dips and bumps it contained, just waiting to trip you up.

The ground, now, felt unreal. The atmosphere was too perfect, too still. Yuuri peered around the prince’s body to see if there was a source of the odd feeling. His eyes landed on a crack in the ground that seemed to lead off and abruptly end a bit after it started.

_That’s not how cracks work…_

As they drew closer to it, the ground seemed to grow softer.

 _It can’t be…_ Yuuri thought. But, somehow, Yuuri knew. He knew that the prince was disliked. He knew that what he had seen before was a revolt against the Ice Prince, the cold-hearted one. It all made perfect sense when Yuuri put the pieces together.

And Yuuri had sworn himself to this man, so there was only one thing to do.

He threw himself in front of the prince just as they were about to walk in front of the crack. There was a loud crinkling sound, and then Yuuri couldn’t feel solid ground beneath his feet. There was only the blue of the sky, specked with the pure white of clouds.

Falling. The rush of the wind in his ears…

Falling. The still of his mind as it went into shock…

_Falling…_

He was vaguely aware of screaming. Was it his voice? Someone else’s? Yuuri managed to scrunch his eyes open after the initial shock had passed. His brown eyes locked with familiar blue, and suddenly he was at ease. Those beautiful, azure eyes were receding into the sky, just where they belonged. Yet, they weren’t filled with the confidence Yuuri had come to expect; they were terrified, pupils dilated in fear and surprise. Yuuri wanted to reach out, to call out to the prince and tell him that everything would be alright. Yuuri was there.

Yuuri had _saved_ him.

But he was falling ever so further from him.

Then there was a sharp pain in his head, and all went dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think will happen next? Voice your predictions in the comments!


	12. A Visit to the King's Palace pt. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Discussion and realization.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your kind comments! Here is an early update treat for you guys. 
> 
> Please enjoy this longer-than-usual update!

Yuuri came to before his eyes opened. It was a world of darkness, comforting shadow filling his eyelids. It would’ve been a heavenly break from the constant stress he had been under for the past few days, if it weren’t for the piercing pain in his head, or the dull ache in his left arm.

It was like lightning shattering his skull. It entered somewhere above his right temple and shot directly through his brain, filling the darkness behind his eyelids with a hot, red hue. It was shattering, thought-scattering, filling Yuuri’s mind with it and only it. The burn, the agony, like glass shards. Like needles piercing his skin and shoving themselves through his brain, becoming white hot irons. There was a pressure in his jaw, and Yuuri could only barely register that his teeth were unconsciously clenching together.

Compared to his skull, his arm was a low, underlying throb, something he could ignore. But annoying nonetheless.

Yuuri squirmed, attempting to adjust his position so that he wouldn’t have to worry about his arm at least. His head couldn’t be dealt with. This invoked a sharp gasp from somewhere to his right.

Suddenly, there was a splash of winter against his cheek. It felt brittle, like the first frost, yet it melted against his overheated skin, leaving a comforting chill. It melded with Yuuri’s skin, drawing out the heat with _waves_  and _waves_ and _waves_ of ice, and leaving a light, snowy sensation. Cool wind ghosted across his forehead, and Yuuri had the sense that there were words, though he could not comprehend them over the lightning that continued to burst in his head. The lightning turned all language into pictures in Yuuri’s thoughts, incomprehensible colors and shapes.

But Yuuri didn’t need to understand his surroundings to realize that the pain was no longer like the fiery depths of hell; instead, it was the endless cracking of falling trees in the forest, and Yuuri could deal with that. He sank into a stupor, lulled by the constant frosty breeze against his forehead and frigid touch on his cheek. The shadows had lost their red glare.

 

* * *

 

 

_Bright…_

His eyes were open barely a crack, but the light in the room filled them, and his pupils shrunk instinctively. That mere unconscious action made Yuuri cringe. Everything _ached_.

Eventually his sight grew used to the _openness_ of the room, and Yuuri stared up curiously at the ceiling. _Isn’t that the same pattern that was in the King Palace’s hos-_

“Is he awake yet?” A young male voice. Familiar, almost.

Yuuri took a breath, ready to answer (however painful it turned out to be), before realizing the question wasn’t directed at him. He immediately scrunched his eyes shut.

“No. He finally fell asleep late last night and hasn’t woken yet.” A female voice, unfamiliar.

“We should let him sleep. He was so determined to stay next to him.”

“At least get him a blanket or something. Even with so many layers on, he must be cold.”

“It’s warmer here than the Prince’s Palace, so I suspect he’s warm as it is. But I’ll find something.”

Yuuri wasn’t sure why he had closed his eyes, but he had heard something very interesting. Who was next to him? Who had stayed the entire night over? Was it Minami? Or someone else he knew from the King’s Palace? Yuuri couldn’t think of many others who would do something like that in concern for him. He wanted _so very badly_ to turn his head and discover who it was.

But as he was right now, he couldn’t even conjure up the will to move _any_ part of his body. Maybe he should go back to sleep.

 _Shffff…_ Ruffling of the blankets to his right.

Nevermind. No sleeping.

“Is he… awake yet…?”

This time the question was directed at him, and it came from a much closer source. For some reason, the air tingled with the rough scratch that textured the voice. It tugged at a certain part of Yuuri’s mind. A certain...  _pleasurable_ part. 

“I’m afraid, not, your highness,” the female voice answered for him.

_Your… highness?_

“Will he be alright?”

Yuuri’s sense of reality vanished. He was now floating in his own little world, confined to his thoughts. The conversation beside him dulled to a low mutter that failed to register.

_The nurse said ‘your highness.’ And that voice… it was rough, but most definitely…_

_It can’t be._

_It can’t._

It was.

Now Yuuri consciously refused to open his eyes. A certain fright overtook his body, locking his muscles in place. The _Ice Prince_ was right next to him, and that could mean only a couple things.

Either he was here to chastise him for what he had done…

Or he was here to accuse Yuuri for almost killing him.

The scene rushed back in a flash. Yuuri walking behind the prince, seeing the suspicious ground in front of him, jumping out and expecting solid ground and then falling falling falling fallinggggg-

And then nothing. The prince could take the situation so many different ways. So many _bad_ ways. And Yuuri could think of no evidence that could be used to defend himself.

Had he gained the prince’s trust only to let him down?

Yuuri’s breaths came in short pants. _If anything, please don’t let that be true. Gods, if any of you are listening, please don’t let it be true._

“-awake now.”

“Really?”

“Well, his breathing has changed. Didn’t you notice?”

“…”

Yuuri froze, forcing his breaths to a normal pace. _Shit! No!_

“Yeah, you are right.”

Then there was a soft, gentle breath at his ear. “Are you awake?”

Yuuri didn’t dare move a muscle. _Maybe I can still…_

“I do not understand why you are acting this way, but no matter…” Yuuri could imagine the frown in the voice, the downturn of the prince’s lips…

 _No! Don’t! You’re in trouble!_ _This is not the time for such thoughts!_

“You deserve my utmost appreciation. Our positions would be very much switched if you had not been prudent in your actions. I sincerely thank you.”

_Eh?_

“So, please, _Yuuri_. Open your eyes.”

His name flowed from the prince’s lips like sparkling wind chimes. It was the clink of glass, the shimmer of sunlight on a shallow pool, the breaking of light into a rainbow… The moment of hesitation right before it, _Yuuri_ , hushed the air like the calm before the storm… and then his name, _Yuuri_ , rolled over his tongue and flowed over Yuuri’s ears like ambrosia and honey. Sweet, oh so sweet, and cool, like powdered sugar on finely shaved ice, crisp and fine.

Yuuri didn’t have a choice. It was natural now, a part of him, to obey the voice he had no hesitation towards. Dull brown met flashing blue.

“Finally,” Prince Viktor murmured, and his voice was a relieved timbre, the sigh of a forest settling around a fallen tree.

For some reason, Yuuri felt that he had finally stopped falling.

The prince was so close. _So close_. So close his senses mixed and intertwined to create a feeling of confusion that was oddly satisfying. Yuuri could _feel_ the twitch of his lips that he couldn’t touch. _Taste_ the sweet cool of his breath that barely grazed his face. _Smell_ the ice in his eyes that flickered and shimmered. For some reason, it all added up in Yuuri’s mind to produce affection, affection he felt was reciprocated.

Somehow, for some reason, Yuuri felt something like love radiating from the person in front of him.

Then it dissipated, and Prince Viktor’s eyes darkened, his mouth receding into its usual hard line. “I shall find whoever did such a thing to you, and they shall be punished to greater depths than the deepest pit in hell.” Dread dropped into Yuuri’s stomach.

 _This isn’t like him._ I’m _making him do this._

The Ice Prince made to stand, and Yuuri’s body acted instinctively. He reached out and ensnared the prince’s wrist in his grip, a sharp pain shooting through his arm. Yuuri ignored it.

Both the prince and Yuuri stared down at his slight fingers wrapped harshly around the prince’s wrist in surprise; Yuuri because it really had been an unconscious action (how could he have done it consciously, when his whole body still ached?) and Prince Viktor because nobody, _nobody_ , had touched him without his permission before.

There was a flash in the Ice Prince’s eyes, and Yuuri shook in fear, though he didn’t remove his hand. There was no going back now.

“Your highness…” he managed to croak out. The prince’s stare bored into his head, icicles that could pierce his soul, should the prince choose to do so. Yuuri wasn’t sure if his gaze was accusing, angry, or curious. _Doesn’t matter now._ “I do not think that wise.”

The prince frowned, his lips turning down in disapproval. Yuuri could sense his discomfort through the tense muscles in his wrist, which were strained against his fingers. Suddenly he had a flash of empathy, and he could see the prince’s situation as clear as his own.

Prince Viktor had never been rejected before. And that was exactly how he was taking this situation – as rejection. Yuuri sighed, and it was a little breeze floating silently past his lips.

“If you strike out now,” Yuuri began, hesitantly at first, and then with increasing confidence, “it is bound to be used against you. How about y… w-we look for conclusive evidence first?” His voice wavered, but he continued. “Besides, I’m really fine.”

“Y-”

“I’ll be the judge of that.”

Both Yuuri and Prince Viktor turned to see the nurse approaching the bed. She wore an amused expression on her face. Yuuri put voice to face immediately. The female voice from before matched hers.

“Mila,” she introduced, nodding to Yuuri, her red locks bouncing. She didn’t even turn her blue-grey eyes to acknowledge the Ice Prince, and that made Yuuri quite jumpy. “Mind if I ask you some questions?”

“No, go ahead,” Yuuri said, his gaze flashing between hers and the prince’s. He didn't know who to look at. Mila was speaking to him, but on the other hand the prince...

Speaking of which, Prince Viktor hadn’t left ye-

“Where are you now?”

Yuuri's thoughts rushed back to the present. “Hm…” Yuuri murmured. “The King’s Palace, I think? And this looks like the medical bay.”

“Very good. Can you tell me your name?”

 _Well_ , Yuuri thought, _that’s a stupid question._ Prince Viktor had uttered it just a moment ago, hadn’t he? And Yuuri had recognized it immediately. Speaking of which, the prince was still he-

“Did you hear me?” There was a hand in front of his face now, snapping Yuuri from his wandering thoughts.

“Ah, yes!” Yuuri exclaimed, jumping away from the hand. He ended up trying to use his left arm as leverage, and collapsed under the sharp pain. “Urgh…” There was a sharp intake of breath to his right, and Yuuri’s heart jumped.

“Sorry, sorry,” Mila said, helping Yuuri lay back onto his pillows without putting stress on his arm. “Let me ask you again. Can you tell me your name?”

“Yes. It’s Yuuri. Yuuri Katsuki.”

“Very good.”

“ **Leave**.”

The professional atmosphere was broken with the sharp uttering of a command. Yuuri shivered, then felt his body immediately try to sit up from the bed in an attempt to do as requested. He didn’t even think about it. Then he felt a cold hand against his chest, restraining him.

“Not you. Her.” Frozen eyes met his, then flickered over to the redhead nurse, Mila. “Did you hear me? I said to leave.”

Mila stood jerkily from her crouch by Yuuri’s bedside. “Y-Yes, your highness.” Then, to Yuuri, “I’ll be back with more questions, okay?”

“No, you won’t.”

“…excuse me?”

“I said. **_Leave._** ” The words were a snarl, ruthless and cruel, filled with a primal, authoritative instinct that filled Yuuri’s chest with plain _fear_. They _ripped_ through the air, tore through it in abusive, unrestrained agony.

Mila must have felt it, too, because she practically fled the room.

The Ice Prince turned back to Yuuri, who shrunk back instinctively, a bunny in the eyes of a wolf. Then the hard, crushing eyes melted, and Yuuri felt a soft touch on his cheek.

“ _Yuu_ ri,” the prince murmured, and his eyes were all rushing water, gushing around Yuuri and filling him with a comforting weight. They seemed desperate, yearning for something that only Yuuri could give. “If… if you do not want me to find out who is responsible… then…”

The prince seemed internally conflicted, and a flash of pain shimmered in his azure orbs. “Then, I will do as you like.”

There was a moment of silence, and the air thickened until Yuuri could barely breathe. Then, in a rush…

“You don’t know how much pain this brings me. Seeing you like this.” The prince’s gaze awkwardly shifted a bit to the right of Yuuri’s face. Yuuri suddenly had the urge to reach up and touch his cheek, to barely brush his fingers along Prince Viktor’s cheekbone, his strong jaw, to stroke the soft platinum locks that shone in the luster of the King’s Palace. To make the prince meet his gaze with those endless blue eyes…

But all Yuuri could say was, “I’m sorry.”

The prince exploded, his expression harsh blue fire, his words cutting the air in definitive strokes. “Do _not_ make me doubt myself, not after what you just said.”

Cringing back into the pillows, Yuuri squeezed his eyes shut and took several deep breaths. It took him a while to convince himself he wasn’t bleeding to death from a blow of the prince’s sword. It was all in his head… all in his head…

 _I need to change how I approach him._ A memory suddenly hit him like a shove in the back.

 

 

> _“Keep your chin up when you’re with me.”_

_Prince Viktor wants me to be confident._

 

 

> _“No servant of mine deserves to look so… submissive.”_

_Prince Viktor wants me to be confident with_ him.

It was a hard thing to ask, especially of Yuuri, with his doubt that filled his chest and ran down his spine every time the prince dared look at him. But Yuuri wanted to try… he wanted to be useful to the prince, to be _wanted_.

Yuuri steeled himself and stared up at the prince without hesitation. “I would rather you stay with me, than chase someone else, _your highness_.”

The effect was immediate. Prince Viktor’s eyes widened, pupils dilating, and his breath was quick in his throat. Yuuri could hear it catch, refuse to fill his lungs. He could see it in the flush that rose up in the prince’s cheeks, how his eyebrows raised ever so slightly, his lips parting just enough that Yuuri could see the white of his teeth. He could feel it in the silence of the air, a silence he was proud of putting there (for once in his life).

“Guh-” The prince managed a strangled sound, but no coherent words.

Then Yuuri was giggling. His chest heaved and rolled, producing a laugh so pure that it made the walls ring. He tried to stop because it was causing the pain in his arm to spark again, but he just couldn’t help it. The prince had _blushed!_ He had made the _Ice Prince_ blush! Though that wasn’t his original intention, it was as good a result as any.

In utter embarrassment, the prince turned away, hiding the chagrin that was high on his cheeks. “Y-You,” he stammered, though he managed to get the words out. “ _I_ will not be the one following _you_. Rather, _you_ will be the one following _me_.”

This only brought on another round of explosive laughter until Yuuri had calmed himself. The prince’s pout was too cute to resist. When he did calm down, however, the prince turned to him, his expression serious.

“If you will not allow me to chase down this felon,” the prince began, “at least you yourself be cautious. Be wary of those with shovels or other digging tools. And please…” He took a breath, “please tell me if you see something that is even barely suspicious.”

Yuuri nodded. Those were fair enough terms. “Of course, your highness.” Then a sharp pain shot through his skull. _Urgh… is the headache returning?_

But it wasn’t.

Yuuri’s vision blackened and then there was a flash of color, long, red-brown hair. There was something slung over his shoulder… but Yuuri couldn’t remember. A whisper in his ear… something like –

 

_Skkkrrrrrrrrrrrrch_

 

 

> _“Don’t interfere.”_

_Skkkrrrrrrrrrrrch_

 

 

 

> _“You know you’re on the wrong side.”_

 

_Skkkkrrrrrrrrrrch_

 

 

> _“Stay out of it if you are or SKRRRR- get hurt.”_

It couldn’t be. But Yuuri was gasping and gasping and the air wasn’t feeling right in his lungs. He had ended up in the hospital, but it wasn’t him who was planned to be hurt. Yuuri had jumped out in front of the prince out of desperation.

_Red hair and a shovel…_

Leo.

Had he been drunk? His memories were fuzzy. But Yuuri was 90% sure that his faint memory had been of Leo.

The dread began to sink in, seeping through his skin as more and more of the situation sank onto his shoulders. He was involved now.

He had directly saved the prince from an assassination attempt, and now he would pay the price.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you prefer longer chapters like this one? Let me know in the comments!


	13. A Visit to the King's Palace pt. 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri confronts homesickness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I took to the majority opinion and tried to lengthen the chapter. Enjoy this update~!

The prince had to leave to take care of the business he had come to the King’s Palace for, leaving Yuuri by himself in the extensive medical hall. Despite being alone (the nurse forbidden from entering, apparently), Yuuri didn’t feel lonely. He relished the quiet chatter that always lay in the background of the King’s Palace, the constant murmuring that could be heard through the walls, floor, and ceiling. It was like the castle was alive, footsteps its heartbeat, voices its breathing.

The mumble of the castle was just loud enough for him to concentrate on, so his thoughts wouldn’t return to the dark places they usually did. It was one of the things he cherished about the King’s Palace. He had missed it since he transferred to the dead quiet of the Prince’s Palace.

Yuuri sat up, carefully holding his broken arm to his chest. Then, after struggling to untangle himself from the blankets around him, he stood and made his way across the room to the tall windows on the far wall. Unlike the windows in the Prince’s Palace, which were made with cloudy glass that filtered sunlight, these windows were crystal clear. The sunlight seemed fake, too bright almost, as Yuuri gazed out.

His view was of the front of the castle, where carriages were dropping off people of royalty and their respective servants. They were probably people the prince had to talk to, Yuuri thought.

He was deep in thought about the types of things royalty would discuss when the door to the medical hall was thrown open.

“Yuuri!!” a distressed voice yelled. It echoed in the wide expanse of the hall: _Yuuri, Yuuri, Yuuri…_

Yuuri turned, surprised, and met the frantic gaze of a familiar face. Blond hair flew as the younger individual raced towards him. _He still has that single red stripe. Haha._

“Are you okay, Yuuri?!” Minami exclaimed, his hands patting everywhere he could touch when he finally stood by Yuuri’s side.

Yuuri laughed. “Yes, I’m fine!” _Oh, how I’ve miss-_

“I _missed_ you, Yuuri!” Minami said, matching Yuuri’s thoughts.

Yuuri smiled fondly, stroking the red stripe in Minami’s hair. “As did I.” Minami melted into his arms, apparently forgetting about where they were… and what that meant. Yuuri tensed and moved away, trying to soften the pain shooting through his arm.  
  
“Ah, I’m so sorry!” Minami exclaimed, flustered. His hands fluttered around again, trying to comfort, _anywhere…_

Chuckling, Yuuri shook his head. “No need to apologize. I’m just slightly disabled right now.”

Minami sighed, but with Yuuri’s kind and amused expression, he couldn’t help but grin himself.

“Well, you’re back, at least for time being, right?” Minami chirped. “How about we go walk around the castle like we used to?”

Memories flashed through Yuuri’s mind, of sweltering summers spent in the quiet basement storage rooms, of chilly winters spent huddling together in the boilers below the kitchen, hearing the loud chatter of the cooks and clanging of the dishes, nibbling on stolen cookies behind their backs as they carried documents, dusting rooms and sometimes teasingly dusting _themselves_ …

Yuuri realized, Yuuri _realized_ that he _missed_ it. He _missed_ the warm smiles, the warm rooms, the warm nourishment, physical and mental, of the King’s Palace. He missed the warm kindness and atmosphere. He missed the _warmth_.

The Prince’s Palace, it was cold. The halls brutally so, dripping with cool air that slipped through cloaks and gloves and left goosebumps wherever one went. There were cold gazes that never met yours, silence that chilled your spine and left nothing but frozen feeling in your fingertips and hair standing on end….

Yes, Yuuri would appreciate falling back into the comfort of the King’s Palace. Just… for a little bit. Yes.

“Sure! Let’s go.”

Minami was ecstatic, and led Yuuri out of the medical hall (though neither of them were sure if Yuuri was even allowed to leave). “Where should we go first? Kitchen? I know how much you love the maple snickerdoodle cookies!”

“Maybe later,” Yuuri said. _Save the best for last._ “How about we go to the foyer? I want to see the art.”

The King’s Palace was famous for its displays of art in its front-most hall. Once one walked through the large doors, paintings, sculptures, and other pieces of art were displayed all over the room. They changed every week, encouraging artists to make more and more impressive works.

Surely enough, Yuuri wasn’t disappointed when Minami led him to the foyer. There were an exceptional amount of sculptures this time around, most of famous royalty, probably due to the meetings being held. Yuuri wandered the room, appreciating the art, Minami trailing behind him like he had when Yuuri was still working here.

Then the door opened, and a rush of cold air whipped through the room. Minami shivered, an obvious involuntary action, but Yuuri leaned into the chill, appreciating how it sifted through his hair, like familiar frosty fingers. Then it was gone, the doors closed, and Yuuri felt like a piece of him was taken with it, somehow. The room was still slightly chilly, the cold dispersing throughout, but to Yuuri, the warmth seemed to invade the pleasure of the cold.

Shaking his head, Yuuri forced himself back to the present. _I like the warmth, don't I?_  He had to appreciate being in the King’s Palace while he was there.

“Heh. Yuuri, look at this one!” Minami commented, pointing at the statue in front of him. It was of the King’s secretary, expressionless Seung-Gil, standing as neutral-faced as ever. “It looks so realistic,” Minami snickered behind his hand.

A giggle ripped through Yuuri’s chest, and he found himself nodding along with Minami. “Yeah, it does! Perfect expression! Look at that!” Sharing happiness, laughter with another person was a small pleasure Yuuri hadn't received since he had left the King's Palace. It felt nice to share joy with another, especially one so enthusiastic as Minami. His smooth, blonde locks bounced whenever he waved his hands, which was often, and his eyes shone when he talked to Yuuri, as if Yuuri was the most important person in the whole world... 

Yuuri was thoroughly distracted that he didn’t notice when the room had gone silent. Minami, however, did, and suddenly dropped to his knees. Yuuri was confused, and glanced about the room. But, really, there was only one person who could cause this kind of immediate response, and Yuuri realized that in the back of his mind.

His brown gaze locked with blue. Prince Viktor had paused on the balcony that overlooked the foyer, and was currently staring down at the scene below. A shiver passed through Yuuri, but it wasn’t because of the cold. In fact, the room felt stifling now, much too hot. The gaze above him was filled with a sadness, a frustrated misery that was overpowering. Yuuri wanted to run up there, to fly into his arms and ask what was wrong, what was making him feel so absolutely depressed. But he couldn’t, so he instead relied on his own eyes, stepping forward to make his point.

The sound of his boot connecting with the glossy, polished stone rang through the foyer. It seemed to break the scene, and the prince moved on without a second glance.

A hole grew in Yuuri’s chest as he thought about the desperate sapphire in the prince’s gaze.

“…Yuuri?” Minami prompted.

 _Must not have heard him._ “Sorry, I zoned out for a bit. What was that?” Yuuri asked, turning to his younger friend.

“Should we go to the kitchen for cookies now? I don’t know about you, but I’m freezing after that incident.” Minami rubbed his arms in an exaggerated motion. “I don’t know how you work for someone so frozen…”

Yuuri didn’t respond, only followed after him silently. He couldn’t think of anyone but the prince now. The hole in his chest grew larger with each step he took. He wanted to be there with the prince, supporting him; he _needed_ to be there _by his side_. How could he be here enjoying himself when the prince was feeling such terrible misery? Yuuri didn’t even know what was causing such pain in the prince’s gaze. That fact alone caused a squeezing in his chest that felt as physically painful as the fracture in his arm. Even if it was mental, it was more real than the tangible things around him now.

The walk away from the entrance deeper into the castle to the kitchen was a heated blur, especially after the incident with the Ice Prince. Yuuri, used to the cool of the Prince’s Palace, struggled to take everything in. Locking gazes with the prince had seemingly removed a film from his mind and his senses. The heated air now felt like it was pushing on his skin, beading on his forehead, rushing too fast into his lungs. His hair felt pressed to his scalp, his cloak too heavy, his boots too tight. The hand that was tugging on his felt like fire, burning low and uncomfortable.

Then they entered the kitchen, and a rush of scents filled his nose. Sweet, sugary cinnamon; tangy ranch and light barbecue; cilantro and black pepper; the smoking sharpness of pine wood… The scents mixed with the bright lights, blindingly bright, creating a scene that bordered on the side of hallucination. 

Something was thrust right in front of his face, but Yuuri could barely comprehend what was happening. At a prompting he barely understood, he placed the object in his mouth, and the feeling of _overwhelming_ just got worse.

His mouth exploded in heat. Sugar melted on his tongue, sank back into his throat in an overly comforting slide. Maple syrup blotted his inner cheeks and molars, chewed cookie sticking there, even when he tried to swallow. It was viscous, thick and warm warm warm _warm_ … So much so that his throat threatened to close up on him, refuse to take in what he was eating. Yuuri’s eyes began to water, and he waved at Minami. “W-ater, please,” he managed to croak out.

A glass was placed in his hand, and Yuuri chugged it. The liquid managed to remove most of the choking sensation, but not all. It wasn’t cold enough. He needed the icy water that the prince always had ready, whatever room he entered.

“That good?” Minami smirked, and suddenly everything felt unreal. Minami’s smile was plastic, molded, the room a painting, moving somehow. The scene was too slow, and Yuuri felt lethargic, too warm. Too heavy.

“Want another?”

Another object was held in front of his face, but Yuuri was conscious enough to refuse it this time. “No thank you,” he mumbled, forcing his back straight, his eyelids open.

Minami looked confused, but accepted Yuuri’s refusal. “Alright. Where to next?”

“We should probably go back to the medical hall, now,” Yuuri stated, plainly. Expressions were so hard… everything pulled down… heeeeaavyyy…

“Sure,” Minami said, seeming to only get more confused.

Once back in the medical hall, Yuuri collapsed onto his bed, grateful that he didn’t have to force himself to stand so professionally. Barely conscious, the heat getting to his head, Yuuri whispered, hoping Minami was still there, “Can you open a window…?”

There was a muffled response, seeming hesitant and questioning, before a rush of comforting cool entered the room. It billowed soothingly over his overheated forehead and cheeks, filtered into his clothes, lying like a blanket over him. It was _nice._

Then he remembered what he thought earlier that day.

 

> _…the warm smiles, the warm rooms, the warm nourishment, physical and mental, of the King’s Palace… the warm kindness and atmosphere… the WARMTH._

Were his memories skewed?

_No. My perspective has changed. That’s all._

A small smile graced his face. ‘That’s all.’ _Makes it seem like such a mediocre thing, for one’s perspective to change._

But it, for sure, wasn’t a small thing, and for some reason that left a pleasant happiness in his heart. That was, until he remembered the prince’s face from the balcony. His smile disappeared.

Yuuri opened his eyes that had closed sometime earlier. He couldn’t remember when. He shouldn't be smiling when the prince wasn’t.

_I must find him. Even if it means going back into the… the desert heat, I have to find him and the source of his sorrow. If I can’t do that, what servant am I?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was an important chapter for Yuuri's development as a part of Prince Viktor's support. I cherish your love and support for this fic! It keeps me positive in my ever so busy life. Please stay tuned for more!


	14. A Visit to the King's Palace pt. 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The last chapter at the King's Palace. I hope you enjoyed your stay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you who like the politics side of things, I'm hoping to add more of that soon. Stay tuned, and enjoy this update! 
> 
> You can find me on tumblr @kykyelric as always!

There were complications that Yuuri didn’t predict when he went searching for the prince (against nurse Mila’s orders). Even when he found the room the prince was in, he wasn’t allowed in. In no circumstance was a mere servant allowed to participate in discussions of the royal kind. Period.

This left Yuuri spun up and tense. His heart wanted him to burst in against all rules and interrupt whatever discussions they were having behind the rich mahogany of the double doors. Double doors that were highlighted with plated gold.

Yuuri wouldn’t have felt so tense if it hadn’t had been for the feeling he got every time he “happened” to wander by the doors. Every time he paused by them, he got this aura of intimidation, of restriction, of censorship. He felt oppression, stiff and strong voices cutting off any thought of disagreement. Of even bringing up a topic that could go against the current considerations. And, for some reason, Yuuri felt that the person who was oppressed was Prince Viktor. Without seeing one peek of the scene behind closed doors, he could feel it.

He had felt it in the prince’s stare in the foyer. Behind the layers of present desperation had been a deep-set frustration, something more concrete than any silly argument could present. Whatever the prince was worrying about, it had been going on for quite some time.

Yuuri wanted to _help_. And that was why he went by the double doors (rich mahogany and highlighted with plated gold) nearly every hour for the next two days, braving the heat of the King’s Palace, hoping to catch a glimpse of his liege.

Of course, he never did, and two days came and past. On the third day, discussions ended and the castle went into a higher state of chaos than usual as royalty (with all their respective servants) began to take their leave of the King’s Palace.

The prince was especially efficient. He had gathered all his belongings and servants in the foyer within a couple hours of the ending of the last meeting. Yuuri was currently standing by his side, two steps to his left (always two steps), watching the prince give last minute instructions and the occasional cordial good bye.

Yuuri waited and waited for his own instruction, for some command that he could fill. He would be happy with merely carrying something, documents perhaps, or running a simple errand, like checking the status of the carriage. Anything, _anything_ , any word from the prince would be enough. But when the last of the servants had been ordered, Yuuri was left alone with the prince with no such orders. The prince turned to him now, and his expression was solemn, but composed. An ice mask that he wore perfectly. Then he whipped around and, with a gesture of his hand, beckoned Yuuri to follow. 

The prince led him to an isolated room some distance from the main foyer. They stood, alone, gazing at each other, before the Ice Prince broke the silence. 

“You can stay here, if you wish.”

Suddenly Yuuri couldn’t hear anything but his sharp intake of breath. The heat enveloped his head, blinding him, and his stomach dropped, his brain twisting the prince’s words: ‘Stay here, Yuuri. I have no need for you.’

There was an emptiness in his chest, an emptiness that rose like waves, a high-rising tide that couldn't be stopped. Up his chest, drowning his heart, filling his throat with thick, choking smog, up into his eyes. The tears. No. _I have to fight them back._ _I can’t cry in front of him. He told me… He told me…_

“You…” the prince was frowning now, his mask cracked with sadness, as if _somehow_ he felt similarly to Yuuri. But that was impossible. Yuuri knew. “You looked so happy, laughing with that blonde servant.”

“M-Minami…?” Yuuri managed to choke out, forcing his lips open, forcing wind to rush through his vocal chords, past the throat-clogging smog of misery and disappointment in himself.

“Is that his name? I cannot give you such joy,” the prince whispered, and he shifted his gaze downward. He looked solemn, like one of the statues that surrounded them in the foyer. His silver bangs hung lightly over his eyes, shielding his face from the world, as if he wanted to curl up and hide. It was a familiar feeling, and Yuuri could pick up the signs immediately, as he had gone through it many times himself.

For some reason the prince was sad, _extremely_ so, and Yuuri could connect. The smog seemed to clear, and with it, Yuuri’s mind. He could now see why the prince was acting as he was, and it made him shake in frustration with himself. _Why didn’t I see it before? Why didn’t I make the connection?_

The prince had been jealous, and he thought Yuuri would rather stay here, where it was warm and bright and open.

But the prince was _oh_ so wrong.

Yuuri took a deep breath for courage, glanced around to make sure no one was directly observing them, and then reached forward to tip the prince’s chin upwards.

_What did he say to me that one time…?_

_Ah, yes._

“ ‘Keep your chin up when you’re with me.’ ”

Prince Viktor’s eyes widened. There was a soft rush of air through his lips, and Yuuri was so close he could feel it, see flecks of blue in his eyes, catch the light that reflected off his jeweled crown…

“ ‘No _prince_ of mine deserves to look so submissive.’ ”

Yuuri took his hand that was on the prince’s chin and moved it to push back his silvery bangs to reveal more of his eyes. As he moved his hand upwards, the shadows that had previously dulled the blue shrunk further and further until they revealed a bright azure, sparkling in the sunlight that shone, filtered, through the windows. He gazed into them, soft azure, almost wet from tears that hadn’t spilled. Then he finished with the prince’s final words.

“You should be _proud_.”

The moment seemed to last forever, Yuuri standing right in front of the prince, the prince staring back at him, dumbfounded, but in reality, the whole scene had lasted no more than a couple seconds. Yuuri had whispered the words low enough that Prince Viktor could only hear them. 

When he failed to make anymore of a response, Yuuri grew desperate and took step back, his usually calm, brown eyes growing wild. _I have to convince him. I must._

"I thought it would be nice to be back," Yuuri rushed. "I tried to make the most of it with Minami. But the more we traversed these overheated halls, the more I felt that this place was fake. It felt like a hiding place, plastic, molded to comforts. I missed your castle more than anything."

The prince took a step closer to him, and Yuuri rushed his words even more in an attempt to get them all out before he could be dismissed. 

"I missed the tangible cold, the reality of the dark, the strict, yet simple, orders. I missed the-"

Then the prince was right in front of him, and his hand came up to wipe the single tear that had escaped Yuuri's self-control, running down his cheek. "I understand. Do not cry."

Yuuri took a deep breath, and suddenly the weight of his words sank on his shoulders all at once, the high of his bravery leveling off. A blush rose up on his cheeks, and he hid his face in his arms. 

“I-I-I! That was uncalled for, your highness. I sincerely apologize.” Yuuri wanted nothing more than to sink to his knees and bow as low as he could in front of the prince, to kiss his boots and beg for forgiveness, but the prince had told him just what he had repeated, and he did _not_ want to be a hypocrite.

There was a full minute of awkward silence before Yuuri could bear to glance at the prince, but when he did, the prince seemed to be back to normal. His chin was raised, almost defiantly, and he looked as regal as ever, standing in his blue and purple royal outfit, crown standing proudly atop his shiny, platinum locks. He touched his hand to the hilt of his sword and spoke once Yuuri had tentatively met his gaze.

“Do not call me ‘your highness.’ Am I merely someone higher than you?”

“No,” Yuuri whispered, barely a breath above the air. But the prince heard and continued.

“Then, address me properly.”

Yuuri searched his mind, formalities mixing together until he was a confused mess, head spinning. What did the prince want? Did he want Yuuri to be friendly with him? What if Yuuri tried that and the prince didn’t really want that? _I would be DEAD!_

Yuuri settled on something in between.

“P-Prince Vik…tor…?” Yuuri shyly looked up through his lashes and murmured the name, cautiously, testing it on his tongue.

Then, with a swoosh of his cape, the prince swirled around and headed outside to the waiting carriage. Before Yuuri could doubt himself, the prince called over his shoulder, “Good.”

With a sigh of relief, Yuuri scampered the several steps he had fallen behind and began to follow the prince a couple steps behind him, _always a couple steps._ He pushed the lingering remains of his anxiety down into depths that he could ignore, welcoming the cleansing feeling of relief that was like an aromatic shower on a spring day. 

When they reached the doors of the main foyer, they were opened for the prince, who walked majestically through them, Yuuri trying his best to appear just as composed and graceful. As the chill of outside flooded over them, they were met with a magnificent sight.

It was snowing, but it wasn’t the harsh storm of before. Large, fluffy flakes tumbled down from a blanket of clouds, soft and gentle. There was hardly a breeze, leaving the whole outside world in a dense, weighing silence. Time seemed to stop, and Yuuri found himself standing not behind the prince, but by his side. Slowly, he turned to him, and Yuuri now understood more so than mere absence could grant him.

 _This_ was real. The cold pressing into you, forcing itself into your being, not the warmth that stifled feeling. _This_ was real. The pure whites and dark, muted grays, not muddled bright colors.

Why did the prince live apart from his family? Yuuri _felt_ the answer, though he didn’t know it literally. With the snow drifting down among them, Yuuri felt more at ease than he had in the last couple days at his “old” home of the King's Palace. Everything was tangible, but somehow mystical, perfectly real and unreal. That was the prince, _Prince Viktor_ , both at once.

“Let us go.”

And Yuuri followed the tall, silver-headed figure into the carriage, letting a small smile tug at his lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm feeling pretty good about the development between Yuuri and Viktor at this point. Slow burn really burns. Haha! Love your comments, by the way. They're so sweet, and sometimes so perceptive that it surprises me.


	15. Two Offerings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri is offered a second chance, or a position of trust never offered before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mm....... Enjoy..........
> 
> On tumblr @kykyelric

Yuuri entered the carriage after the prince, climbing in before carefully shutting the door behind him. He turned to face the prince slowly, carefully, then struggled to hold in his laughter.

The _Ice Prince_ had snow scattered across his platinum locks, and it was so _adorable_ and yet so _mesmerizing_ at the same time. The little, pure white specks sparkled in the limited light that entered the carriage from the side windows, giving the prince’s head an ethereal glimmer. The window glowed behind him, highlighting his figure like a low spotlight. It dazzled Yuuri, filled his eyes with a sight so mystic he could hardly believe he was here, right now, sharing a carriage with the prince. And yet, it was real, and Yuuri struggled to put that fact straight in his mind.

Despite how majestic the prince looked at the moment, Yuuri couldn’t restrain himself in time. He reached up and brushed the prince’s hair of snow, messing up his bangs in the process. It gave him a flustered and vulnerable look, hair tossed like that, and now Yuuri could see both of his clear, sapphire eyes. He froze, a blush beginning to rise on his cheeks (which were still slightly frozen from the moment outside), and mumbled, “Ah-h. I do not know what came over me. Forgive me, your- I mean, Prince Viktor.”

He thought to be reprimanded, but the prince simply gave him a mysterious smile, his eyes crinkling at the corners, and said in that velvety soft voice of his, “Do not apologize. I should take better care of myself. I know you meant well.”

Yuuri grew even more flustered under the prince’s unusually sweet gaze, and rubbed his hands together for somewhere to put his energy. _He’s saying such a thing? What do I say?? I can’t apologize again…_ “I…”

“You do not have to speak,” the prince remarked. “We will be back soon, and I will call for you soon, so be ready. Come immediately.”

 _Call me for what, I wonder?_ “I will, you- Prince Viktor,” Yuuri said, catching himself again for the second time. Another mysterious smile graced the prince’s lips.

The rest of the ride was spent in silence, Yuuri gazing out the window at the falling snow, listening to the endless _clop clop_ of the horses’ hooves as they rode through the countryside.

When they returned to the prince’s castle, Yuuri opened the door of the carriage for him. Prince Viktor turned to him immediately after climbing out. “Do remember what I told you in the carriage, Yuuri,” he stressed, blue eyes staring intensely into Yuuri’s brown as if to emphasize his point.

“Yes, Prince Viktor,” Yuuri nodded, shivering. Though he wasn’t sure if it was because of the cold, or because of his name rolling off the prince’s lips, which he doubted he would ever get used to. The prince whipped around, his cape trailing after him like an invisible escort, and headed into the castle, several guards following him.

The snow had stopped, but the air was as frigid as ever. Yuuri’s breath froze immediately after it left his lips, and his bare fingers and nose were already starting to numb. There was little wind, so the little clouds of his breath rose silently into the sky, dissipating before they could reach the white-grey blanket that obscured the blue of the sky. It was peaceful, solemn, but open and simple. Yuuri knew that whatever he felt here was right, true, caused by freedom that was brought on solely by the cold.

Yuuri stood for a moment longer in his own little cold world before he walked inside. He was glad he had taken the time to enjoy a little peace by himself, though, as as soon as he entered the castle, he ran into a familiar, taller man with a head of messy red-brown locks.

“Yuuri,” Leo greeted. “You’re back.”

“L-Leo,” Yuuri nodded, eyes shifting nervously.

“What happened to your arm?” he asked, gesturing to the white wrappings around it.

Yuuri shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “I… Um… I fell and broke it,” he said. _That’s at least partially true._

“Ah,” Leo accepted, though he seemed unconvinced. “Sorry to hear that. Will you need help with your duties as a servant now?”

“No,” Yuuri said, a bit too quickly, meeting Leo’s gaze defiantly. _If Leo really was the one who dug the trap, then I can’t back down._ “I’ll manage fine by myself, thank you.”

Leo nodded. “Alright. If you need assistance, just ask. I’ll be right there,” he said.

But there was something about his tone that left a shiver on Yuuri’s spine, like eyes were watching his back. It was spiders, or a single water droplet sinking ever so slowly down his spine. Yuuri shook off the feeling as best he could, but it wouldn’t completely disappear.

Leo leaned down closer to Yuuri’s ear and whispered, “You’ve made your choice, haven’t you?” Yuuri stiffened, his mind going blank.

“You know, there’s still a chance. I’ve got a new job.”

It was like a shot of adrenaline to Yuuri’s brain. But his body remained frozen, stuck to the stone floor like a wet finger on an icy railing. He wanted to thrust Leo away, to cringe away from his breath on his ear, his bewitching words… but fear kept him standing still, a piglet in the eyes of a lion.

“You can take it, and I’ll overlook everythi-”

Leo abruptly stopped. He straightened and turned his back to Yuuri, who took a gasping breath. It filled his lungs with relief, as he had been holding his breath unconsciously.  

“Ah, Phichit! What brings you here?” The change was so swift that it left Yuuri’s mind whirling. It was like Leo was two different people at once.

“Actually, I’m here for Yuuri. His highness has requested he come to his room at once.” Phichit turned to Yuuri, who was still frozen. Yuuri awkwardly relaxed, shaking his arms to loosen himself up to a presentable condition. He could feel Leo’s eyes on him. He walked up to Phichit without a glance at Leo, fearing that meeting the brunette’s eyes would cause him to sink back into that realm of unfeeling.

Yuuri instead met Phichit’s open and friendly gaze. “It’s the room on the very top floor, correct? I’ll be right there.”

“Good,” Phichit smiled, patting Yuuri on the back. “I don’t know why the Ice Prince is requesting you, but be careful, alright? Don’t do anything that’ll get you dismissed.”  
  
Yuuri nodded, even though he knew Phichit’s warning wouldn’t apply to him. He had known about this ahead of time, after all. “Thanks, Phichit.”

“Of course! You’re a valuable part of the team, Yuuri.”

With that, Yuuri turned, the eyes on the back of his head intensifying, and walked as naturally as he could to the closest set of stairs.

It was up that set and then up another and then a third and a fourth… until he came to a small, private staircase with a hand-workable elevator next to it. He had used the elevator to send food up to the prince’s private room once before. It was just large enough to fit a person, he could imagine.

Yuuri hesitated in front of the door. He had never been inside the prince’s room before. He approached the door and rapped on it two times sharply. There was an immediate, muffled, “Come in.”

The prince’s room was sparsely decorated, but the minimal furniture that did exist was magnificent, lined with white gold and speckled with the occasional sapphire. Clearly the best of the best. A familiar painting hung on the far wall, striking Yuuri’s memory.

It was a rose.

But it wasn’t a copy of the painting in the east hall. That rose was red, vividly so. Yuuri was certain of it.

This rose was _blue_ , a dull indigo, cast in shadow from where it hung on the wall. Yuuri couldn’t take his eyes off it.

_What would it look like in the sunlight?_

When he finally dragged his gaze away from the mysterious painting, Yuuri realized that the prince had been staring at him. He had an odd expression on his face, now. It was pained, tense just a bit in between the eyebrows to signify discomfort. His eyes were flashing cerulean, unsure, saddened, layered with a deeper weight than Yuuri could imagine. They were an ocean disguising agony under the pressure of expectation that no one could understand. His jaw was clenched ever so slightly, his lips pursed into a thin, pale line that felt like a wall barring entry to the prince’s heart.  

“Come sit with me,” the prince suggested, gesturing to the open spot on the couch next to him.

Yuuri was _very_ aware of the flashing brilliance of the extravagant crown on the prince’s head, the perfectly tailored clothes embroidered in silver threads… all of the, the _extra_ that screamed class division. It made Yuuri feel very small, and very confused as to why the prince wanted Yuuri to sit with him, considering the entirely differently levels they were on.

But, nonetheless, Yuuri obeyed (how could he not?) and took a seat, cautiously, barely on the edge of the couch.

The prince turned his entire body to face Yuuri, who tensed and leaned away in surprise. _I’m- I’m in the prince’s room…! Sitting next to him on his couch!_ Even with the prince’s solemn expression, Yuuri’s heart beat faster than ever before, fluttering in his chest like a hummingbird’s wings.

But something in Prince Viktor’s next words made him calm down, abruptly, like a bucket of ice water over his head. Perhaps it was the tone of voice he used, yearning, hopeless, tinted with a disturbing level of pain, or the words themselves, but Yuuri suddenly felt the weight of the situation.

“Yuuri, I need your help. _Please_.”

Something was definitely _wrong_ , and whatever it was, Yuuri knew that the prince had now made his decision. He was diving head-first into it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I eat up your comments. Blast me with all you've got!!
> 
> Might make a patreon for early access and audio recordings...


	16. The Ice Prince's Story

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prince Viktor tells Yuuri about part of his background.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is probably my favorite chapter so far. I loved how it turned out. I'm sorry it took so long... Your comments are so kind, and extremely inspirational! Once I start writing I can't seem to stop... Please enjoy this treat!
> 
> tumblr: @kykyelric

“Yuuri, I need your help. _Please_ ,” the prince pleaded, his eyes sorrowful, a deep, shimmering blue.

How could Yuuri resist? He could never from the start.

“Anything, Prince Viktor,” Yuuri whispered, his gaze locked with cerulean. _Unable_ to look away.

The prince seemed to relax significantly, though Yuuri hadn’t noticed how tense he was before. It was like a glacier melting, a piece falling and splashing into the water below. The prince let out a sigh.

 _What could Prince Viktor want from me?_ Yuuri thought. “What would you like me to do, your- Prince Viktor?”

“I…” he began, casting his eyes downward, full with clear tears. “I don’t _know_ …”

It was a tearing in Yuuri’s heart, claws raking themselves across his chest, invisible blood gushing from his invisible wounds. His own depression, his own anxiety, well, he could _deal_ with that. He had for many years now. But the sight in front of him, Prince Viktor’s tears, his shoulders drawn slightly inward, his breath shivering, his eyebrows slowly coming together as his arms encircled himself, as if he could shut out the whole world, as if that could _solve_ his problems and take away the pain... The air was still, heavy… it was like the moment before one _leaped-_

And then Yuuri heard a single, breathless sob. It broke through the ice in the air, shattered it in a sharp crack. In that moment, Yuuri couldn’t restrain himself; he felt as if he could _feel_ the blades pressing at the prince’s skin, drawing blood, twisting themselves painfully into his tissue, and he wanted to _help_ … so he wrapped one arm gently around the prince’s body, and drew himself closer.

 _Oh_ was the prince cold. Yuuri wanted to leap away, but he stopped his initial instincts and fought them instead, forcing himself to provide the physical contact that the prince seemed to loathe, but also seemed to _need_. The seconds dragged on, and Yuuri shivered lightly. The prince seemed to notice and leaned away, as if he knew how icy he was. Instead, Yuuri gritted his teeth and pulled the prince back by his sleeve, leaning further into him this time. His warm breath coated the prince’s shoulder and floated over his neck. Yuuri could see goosebumps pop up where he breathed, as if the prince’s body wasn’t used to such feelings. One glance as Prince Viktor’s face, and he knew that such an assumption was correct.

Eventually Prince Viktor’s breaths evened. He slumped forward a bit, as if he couldn’t bear the weight of Yuuri’s arm. His gaze remained downwards for a little while, and he took a few more deep breaths, as if to test himself. Then he placed a light hand on Yuuri’s shoulder and met his gaze steadily now. Yuuri nodded a little and retracted his arm. The moment was over, and it left him feeling a bit empty, though relieved. The prince seemed to be back to normal.

The prince stood up, then sat down in a chair a bit farther away. Yuuri felt the oncoming of hurt, that perhaps the prince didn’t like his half-embrace, but all such thoughts were thrust away with the prince’s next words.

“Can I… tell you a story?”

Yuuri nodded.

“It starts when I was very young… when I still lived at the main castle,” the prince began. He sucked in another deep, steadying breath, as if this was a painful tale to tell.

“I was oblivious to the world, young, innocent, but that had to be broken someday. Though it happened not quite how my parents, nor I for that matter, wanted it to happen…”

* * *

 

Nearly 20 years ago…

“Viktor! Stay by my side, please!” Mother yelled, pulling on my jacket collar. Viktor allowed himself to be dragged with her into the carriage. “You will stay in here, and _only_ in here, while your father and I complete our business, alright?”

Viktor nodded. He’d always trusted Mother. She had never led him astray. He’d always been warm, fed, and educated by her hands.

But Viktor was also a little bit curious. It had started as a little, growing butterfly in his chest that had fluttered about until it had grown absolutely un-ignorable. … _Is that even a word?_ Little Viktor was not sure. He’d ask Mother when she returned.

But that curiosity was what led him to peek out of the door of the carriage when his mother exited, to lean farther from his seat than usual, to catch a glimpse of the majestic, god-given world that his parents always told him about. Of the rich, gold fields, the joyous shouts of people who sang for their King and Queen.

That wasn’t what he saw.

There were dull eyes, sagging faces. There were shallow cheeks and bony shoulders, woven baskets full of scraggly fruits and vegetables. The fields were ragged - tilled, but not like the pretty paintings in the castle.

Viktor felt confusion first rush through him, but he was old enough by now to understand what this meant. As his brain began to process the scene that he had only caught a moment of, dread began to seep into his heart. No, dread wasn’t the right word.

Suspicion. Distrust. Then, as the minutes drew on, _hatred_.

“LIES,” he growled through his teeth. His crystal blue eyes, the ones _everyone_ praised him for, narrowed in utter distaste. Blue poison. “They LIED to me.”

Viktor took a deep breath to compose himself, then dared another glance out of the window of the carriage. If he had been angry before, _oh_ was he more so now.

His parents, the King and Queen, were walking back, and they held a small toddler in their arms. Behind them ran a short woman with the warmest brown eyes filled with tears. Viktor would always remember those eyes, those tears... and the silent wails that racked her throat, blocked by the carriage door.

His parents entered the carriage, and Viktor was the perfect child he’d always been, only a deep seedling of doubt was planted in his heart. One that could never, _would_ never, be uprooted.

His mother smiled warmly at him, and Viktor smiled back. It was easy, too easy, to put on the fake, practiced smile he had previously used on everyone else but her. And she was fooled. His _own mother_. She couldn’t even recognize her own son’s smile. Her own " _perfect_ , just _perfect_ ," Prince Viktor.

“We came here to help the townspeople,” Father said. He gestured to the toddler in Mother’s arms. “This little fellow will grow up healthy and strong in the castle.” The boy smiled, and Viktor could see warm brown in his eyes, a frightening shadow of the scene he had peeped at before. It was a brown he would never forget, he promised himself.

 _Until the day I die._  
  
“I only wish we could bring more with us,” Mother sighed, but now her sorrowful expression seemed weak, plastic.

It was exaggerated, _fake_. Viktor gritted his teeth and forced his expression to soften.

“How nice of you to rescue little children like that, Mother, Father,” he said, nodding his head to both his parents in turn.

The carriage-ride home was long and terribly torturous for Viktor. Viktor felt relieved when he could finally lock himself in his room, alone, away from the utter imitations that were his parents.

They were portraying something that wasn’t. And Viktor could never forgive them for that. They lived the life of luxury, and he felt absolutely _terrible_.

Yet, Viktor wasn’t stupid. He knew that he was used to such a life. He would never survive anywhere else. There wasn’t anything he could do… at least right now.

Except…

Viktor sought out the toddler, the one with the bright brown eyes that sparkled so innocently. He helped raise it, taught it to walk, to speak properly, to read and write. The best moments were when he put the little boy on his feet with his hands held in his, tugging him upwards to fight the pull of the earth below. Then the boy would look up at him with those _eyes,_ and Viktor would fall into them, feel the warmth of sun-browned Earth that he could never otherwise experience. They were eyes that felt real, that never showed him anything but the truth. Viktor could see himself reflected in those wide eyes, and he could trust that reflection. It was  _him_ , not the "Prince Viktor" that others chose to shape him into. 

Several years passed, and Viktor was finally considered an adult, one with high aspirations for the country that differed greatly from his parents. He despised their selfish ways of inviting others into their bountiful castle on the pretense that they were being gracious, that they were helping the cause. Viktor had greater dreams that would do much more than that. He just needed the resources, and now he was finally gaining access to them. 

He was still close to that boy. In fact, they were currently hiding away in an empty guest room, munching on stolen cookies for Viktor’s coming-of-age. These moments were a relief for Viktor, who liked to escape the formalities of royalty sometimes. Though he did know that it was his responsibility to act as such. He didn’t mind it _that_ much, though it did get overwhelming sometimes, which made him appreciate these moments all the more. There was only one problem…

“Happy Birthday, Viktor,” the boy said.

_Ah, that’s right. I never told him that I was the prince._

“Heh, thanks,” Viktor smiled. He leaned in and took a small nibble of the cookie in the boy’s hand, winking, to which he grew flustered and squealy.

_I will be leaving soon for my own castle. I should tell him._

“Viktor…” the boy murmured softly, though nobody was around. He cast his gaze downward, hesitant.

Viktor tipped his head in confusion. “Yes?”

The boy silently reached into his bag and drew out a single plant, potted properly. It was a blue rose. “For some reason… I… I feel like I won’t be seeing you for a long time.”

Viktor took it in silence. _How can I tell him?_

“If you plant this rose with other roses, it should grow,” the boy said in a rush. “But blue roses are pretty rare, so it might be many seasons before you see another one.”

Viktor nodded, then set the pot down and took one of his small hands in both of his instead. “You are a talented gardener. I am sure you will find much joy here, where there are plenty of growing things.”

He blushed, and Viktor found it all too adorable. “I only help out sometimes…” Then, as he realized the implications of Viktor’s words all too late, “You mean, you really are leaving, Viktor?”

But Viktor was already standing, the pot in his hands. “I hope we meet again.”

The boy had chased him, but Viktor’s guards held him back. Viktor took with him a single servant with whom he was close, Yakov the gardener, who was the only witness to his tears as they rode to his new castle.

* * *

 

The prince paused, and Yuuri took this time to ask a question. “Who was the boy you spoke of? The one you seemed so fond of?”

“His name…” Prince Viktor paused again, conflicted. “I will tell you later… perhaps.”  
  
Yuuri didn’t question the vague response, and instead asked another question. “This story… has something to do with what you are requesting of me?”

“Yes,” the prince murmured. “I do not know what to do anymore. At first it was so clear, I was a leader, and a leader must help his people prosper. But now I am hated, despised. How do I help others when everyone refuses to even look at me?”

 _Why do people hate Prince Viktor in the first place?_ It was a troublesome predicament that Yuuri did not have the answer to at the moment. _Perhaps if I hear more of the story I will come to a solid conclusion._ “What happened next? In your story?”

The prince took a breath, about to start again, when there was a rap at the door, followed by two, sharp consecutive taps. Then the door opened without a word from the prince, revealing Yakov.

Yuuri stood up in surprise, but Yakov waved him down, smiling warmly at him. He simply walked to Viktor, whispered something in his ear, and left, placing a box of tea on the coffee table as he left.

As soon as the door shut with a soft _thump_ , Prince Viktor stood, and Yuuri (of course) followed.

“That will be all I have to tell you today. I have a meeting to attend. Return to your duties.”

Yuuri began to bow, but caught himself at the last moment, remembering the prince’s words to always keep his chin up around him. He simply nodded this time and took his leave. After shutting the door slowly behind him, Yuuri collapsed against it, letting his head fall back, a sigh escaping his lips. He thought he heard a similar bump behind him, but he couldn’t quite be sure. For now, he let his mind wander, his thoughts sink in. He hadn’t forgotten the prince’s request, after all. He would find a way to help him achieve his goals, even with the odds stacked against him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you will stick with me until the very end. Or rather, with Prince Viktor and his loyal Yuuri. Thank you so much for all your support so far!

**Author's Note:**

> I'm proud to be a part of the Yuri!!! On Ice fandom. May it continue to be the positive, supportive, and (surprisingly) deep community that it is now. 
> 
> I'm on tumblr @kykyelric where I post HC's, lyrics, and the occasional fanfic. Feel free to shoot me a message, or leave a comment here. ^^ You can also find my commission information there. Commission me, and I can write something like this just for you!


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